Part 1 (The Mating)

She ran, as fast as she could from the orphanage she was forced into.

Her mother, her only family had died, and they took her in to take care of her, well that was what she thought.

“GET THE GIRL BACK HERE! SHE’S WORTH A LOT AND I WILL NOT AFFORD LOSING HER!” He, the keeper of the orphanage yelled, she could tell that his eyes were flaring with anger, she did not need to look at him to know that he wanted her dead the second he got his hands on her, the thought of that alone frightened the child.

He and the man who he was selling her to stood watching as she ran so fast that she thought her legs were going to fall, but she knew that she couldn’t stop, if she did, they would catch her, and if they did, only God knew what they would be doing to her, she herself did not want to find out.

“Come on Kiara, come on!” The thirteen-year-old encouraged herself as she ran, the thought of the man catching her is what kept her going as she knew that she would be in more trouble than she would ever be able to handle, with that thought in her mind she took a right turn and entered the forest in hopes to get away from the three men who were close on her heels.

“Who goes there?” A girl’s voice asked, her hands holding a bow and arrow pointed at Kiara who froze upon seeing her, her stance frightened as she looked behind her to find the men closing in.

“Please, they’ve sold me for pleasure, I can’t go back there” Kiara begged looking at the girl whose eyes were the only thing seen in the darkness of the night as she wore a hood covering her head.

“Get behind me” the girl ordered Kiara hearing and sensing movement in the forest, Kiara didn’t need to be told twice as she nodded and ran behind the girl shaking for the life of her fearing what was to come.

“You have something that belongs to us” one of the men said approaching the girl, she snickered keeping her cold eyes on him as the bow and arrow were still raised at him, the man knew that if he made one wrong move that he was a goner, but the fact that he could tell that the girl was also a child made him take his chances and stand his ground in front of her.

“Do I?” She asked aiming the arrow and pulling the string before letting it go, the arrow shot through the first man’s heart killing him in seconds, Kiara’s eyes widened at the sight, never in her life has she seen such bravery from a girl, being in that orphanage, the man made sure that no girl got any confidence, and should he even sense any sign of it, then the girl would be beaten until she forgot her own name.

“We mean no harm to you, give us the girl and we’ll leave” the second man said, taking a careful step forward in fear that he would face the fate of his fallen friend, but the girl had her own plans for these men, careful or not.

“But I don’t really think she wants to join you” the girl said looking at the man, her voice taunting, threatening too.

“A man has paid a great deal to have her, she must come with us” the third said also walking closer, the girl simply sighed and grabbed an arrow from the arrow pack which was on her back and shot the second man, the third freezing in his spot as he watched her grab a third arrow.

“Would you like to face their same fate?” She asked looking at him, he gulped and shook his head “too bad…” she pulled the string again, and shot the man faster than he could process what was happening.

“I don’t like men who take advantage of females” she said looking at the now dead corpses, she turned to face Kiara before removing her hood, exposing her blonde hair which reached her lower back, her green eyes met Kiara’s brown ones and she smiled.

“How can I repay you for this?” Kiara asked the girl.

“That’s nonsense, us girls have to stick together love” she said smiling, putting her bow away she extended her hand to Kiara “I’m Nina”

“Kiara” Kiara shook Nina’s hand and smiled looking at the girl who had just saved her life.

“Do you have a place to go?” Nina asked Kiara, but she shook her head, her mother was the only family member she had and she passed away months ago.

“Family or friends?” Again, Kiara shook her head and Nina nodded extending her hand for Kiara to follow her.

“Well then, come on time to meet our leader” Nina said smiling.

“Leader?” Kiara asked confused at what Nina had meant, Nina simply nodded and put the hood over her head again, going to the dead men and removing the arrows from their bodies, wiping them with their shirts before putting them back in their pack with the rest of the arrows she had, she walked forward expecting Kiara to be following her.

“Yes, who do you think keeps us held together?” Nina asked smiling, Kiara was indeed following her.

“Who is us?” Kiara asked, curiosity taking over her rationalism.

“Come on, I’ll show you” Nina said softly, her gentle eyes meeting Kiara’s frightened ones, Nina could tell that Kiara was worried about being harmed after what had happened to her and she didn’t blame her, had it been any girl in her place, she would’ve felt the same way.

“We don’t bite” she said gently, Kiara hesitated but nodded, her worry somewhat leaving her as she looked at the girl who extended a helping hand to her.

“What if they hurt me?” Kiara asked taking a step back, the orphanage said that they wouldn’t hurt her and here they were threatening to sell her, she was worried that the same thing would be happening to her right now, maybe this was some kind of trap?

“No one will hurt you dear, I can assure that you are safe with us”