Preface

 I knew it was a mistake. Before I'd even shouted. Before I'd turn tail and ran. But that didn't stop me, there he was, holding the girl and there I was, helpless to do anything. I hated that feeling. I screamed for him to let the girl go-she couldn't have been more than thirteen, he whirled around, shock quickly morphing into a cruel smile. Let the girl go, he did. The main problem now was that after that little stunt, he was after me. I ran, faster than I've ever run before. Seven and faster than most I was so gone. Twenty-three and faster than me, he was rapidly closing the space. Then the hand. That slim white hand grabbed my collar and threw me against the wall.

 

Chapter 1: Prison

I lurched awake. Fear making me shake like a pansy in a snowstorm, a whimper frozen on my lips. I hated sleeping, it makes me vulnerable. I hear a wail, way too mechanical to be a child. Cops. Instinct takes over reason, an instinct to save the others first.

"Cops! Cops! Scat!" I screamed to the thieves frantically scrambling out three and four story windows to the ground below. And scat we did, the shadows were full of thieves all disappearing around me. The cops arrived, they couldn't see me safely hidden in the shadows that gave me my name. That doesn't mean I stayed there, the cops were trying to pick up a six year old girl who was determined to become the president. But currently she was a thief.

I rushed out of my hiding spot grabbing the girl as she gasped my name out in fear, "Shadow!" I scooped her up and tucked her away in a crevice between two buildings.

"Go find the others," I whispered the order to her as I turned to face the cops. They'd found a bigger enemy than the girl, me. I faced them with a scowl, at six foot two and a master with twin blades, they were no match for me. However I was going to get picked up anyway, why add murderous killings to the list of shit I've done?

"Shadow Raven Black, why isn't it surprising you're in the middle of this?" Oh great. Detective Tom. I refused to talk back, I always do when I get picked up. You have to keep your mouth shut and you'll get through, that's what we learned on the streets. We don't ever give each other away. He cuffed me behind my back, what's new? I've been picked up quite a few times, if anything happens where I go they'll pick me up even if I wasn't the one to do it, but I won't be the one to tell who did. Quick as a snake's strike I picked the lock on the cuffs and took off. One thing these guys are stupid about is thinking that if you submit once you won't fight them anymore. Guess not, they were fast enough in response that I only got about sixty feet before I felt an annoying pain in my back. Tasers. I kept going but at a slower pace when another pain shot through me. Can we say rude, although I am the one running. Then I felt a different pain, this time a sleepiness came with it. I had a few seconds before everything went black, enough time to string together one last thought, Did they really use a tranquilizer on me?

I woke up to feel at least one pair of eyes staring at me.

"Is she comin' to?" Huh?

"I don't know. I overheard them say they used a lot on her." Two thoughts popped into my head simultaneously, one, the cops knew I was a girl? memory came flooding back, and two, They tried to OD me with tranquilizers-not cool.

"I do, I think she's comin' to, she was amumblin' an' now she ain't!" I decided I'd call the first voice vocab and the other OD until I learned their names. I opened my eyes and reached for the knives concealed in my sleeves-gone, Vocab and OD gasped at my sudden awakening. I just looked at them until I heard them start to fidget.

"Can you, like, stop, you're creepin' me out. I'm Jessica, by the way," I was glad Vocab had a name because vocab is a pretty lame name for someone lacking one that much. I nodded in acknowledgement in her direction. To which she immediately responded with, "Quit actin' like you can see! You're blind and it's creepy how you can tell where we are!"

At this OD had to pipe in with, "Yeah, kinda creepy, they told us you were weird but we didn't think it'd be this much." Jeez, I'm blind and they're giving me shit about knowing my way around. Rude. "I'm Carly, me and Jessie are twins." My turn to stare.

"I am Shadow," I responded slowly and quietly, wondering if I could trust them with the information of the twin my parents kept. Whatever.

"Shadow? As in the-"

"-thing that follows you?" Disorientating really how they speak as one like that.

"Yes, that is me. It happens when you are raised by thieves who take you seriously by the age of two." I guess I trust them, that's weird, I don't trust anyone on first meeting.

"Thieves?” ” Two?" No hesitation, at the same time, I'm feeling their creepiness, I can relate.

"Yes, thieves they found me as a babe, abandoned in the street. They took me in when they saw my parents intended for me to die as roadkill." I hated having to tell people that, they always gape at me like I'm a freak in a zoo, I mean I am a freak but still they don't have to advertise it.

"Why would they do that?" This was Jessica.

"Simple, I have a sister who is somewhat normal, and I'm not. They kept her, put me in the middle of a road and neither of us was supposed to know. If I even lived," I responded bitterly.

"You aren't the freak, they are if they put you in the middle of a road. What road was it anyway?" Carly asked.

"The old Black Road, there is a reason my last name is Black." I glumly pointed out.

"What's your full name? Cuz we know the first is Shadow and the last is Black, do you have a middle name or two?" Jessica added to the interrogation. Apparently they took turns speaking. Odd.

"Shadow Raven Black is my full name, they gave it to me in bits and pieces, Shadow, the night I was born, for what they saw in my eyes, Raven when I was four, for the raven bird I found and has been by me since, and Black, the night I was born, for where they found me."

"Who's 'they'" Carly questioned.

"They are my mentors and stand in parents for the years I have been a thief, a Nightee, a pirate, and a gypsy. They have raised me and cared for me when my own parents did not, and why? Because a simple and honest man was brave and stupid enough to pick a silent child out of the road." Answered I.

"So which one picked you up off the street? The thief, pirate, gypsy, or Nightee?" Jessica inquired.

"The thief, we call him Glade but few know his real name. This is the most I have ever talked, you guys have got keep your mouths shut about what you heard because for some seriously weird reason, I trust you and most of the people I trust have taken bullets or swords for me and I for them. Plus if you do not you have the honor of looking forward to me skinning you." I answered thoroughly, hoping they'd leave it at that and go away. As much as I trusted them, there was only so much peopling I could do on a good day, today I've been tranqed and tasered, I remember those from when I was six and refused to quit running.

"So what is a Nightee?" Should have known it was not to be, with it Carly's turn to speak. I sighed and closed my eyes for peace-it was going to be a long day, or night.

"A protector, we watch and wait for the right moment to strike our opponents, we protect those who cannot protect themselves." I replied, somewhat refreshed by their lack of listening to my requests, most people are intimidated without seeing my glazed over, violet eyes, semi-heavily freckled cheeks, and glossy black hair that goes past my waist. Not to mention my fifteen-foot wingspan, cat ears that can only be seen when I choose, and a long furry tail that I keep hidden in my pants.

"And you thought it was a good idea to become a protector of the people you steal from? Great logic, that," Jessica sounded honestly confused.

"For the first time in history, the thieves and pirates, Nightees and gypsies do not hate each other. We live in harmony with people whose feuds go back to when time began. They were at each other's throats, the verge of a war that would have destroyed thousands of lives of people who do not even know what their heritage is. People who were orphans whose parents were one of the four, anyone with even a drop of blood from any of the four would have been slaughtered because of a heritage that they were unaware of. I grew up in that situation, they made me a peace maker because I do not have any blood of them running through my veins. Goddess, I hate talking." I explained thoughtfully.

"Did they have your permission, or did they do it anyway?" Curious Carly.

"I volunteered the idea the day before my second birthday, the next day we were with the gypsies who were did not like the idea of a thief in their midst. The plan was to join the Nightees as well, the pirates were going to die," My answer was thoughtful, almost pondering.

"So how did you become a pirate? Did they put you up to it?" I briefly wondered who was more curious, Carly, or the twin I was talking to.

"It was a mistake, I was on a ship illegally going to Vatican City when the ship got jumped by pirates, I was five and tiny. I got shoved overboard on accident. The captain of the pirates saw me go down, I could not swim, I do not like water. He dived in after me like he would his own crew. I would have drowned and have been a pirate since." My answers were getting more drawn out, that usually didn't happen.

"Uh-huh, and who's this 'Goddess' you said something about?" Ugh, why can't Carly quit asking questions.

"The Goddess of the moon, all gods are real but she is who I believe in. Now can we just get some sleep?" I snapped at the two of them, Goddess it's been a long day, they need to be quiet. Alas, silence. I curled up on my bed and felt my eyelids heavy with sleep, my wings tucked snugly against my back the thought of what happens now? flitting across my mind as I fell deeply asleep.

Butterfree, butterfree, flying everywhere.The sun shining on a golden lock of hair. And as the sun wavers above the horizon, shining gold onto everything it touched, Robert Frost's poem flits through my mind.

Nature's first green is gold,

Her hardest hue to hold.

Her early leaf's a flower;

But only so an hour.

Then leaf subsides to leaf.

So Eden sank to grief,

So dawn goes down to day.

Nothing gold can stay.

As a butterfly flutters in front of my face, I felt myself changing, shifting into more catlike features. I woke in a sweat, that was close, if I hadn't made myself wake up, I would have shifted in front of people. That's something I can never afford to do. I could get put in a zoo or they may do experiments on me. Not something I would wish upon any creature, much less myself. It was still late, not much before midnight. The part of the day in which I'm the strongest they wouldn’t of had a chance. I sat in silence and in darkness until dawn, at which they came and awoke the Twins. Haha they didn't get to wake me up.    

"Breakfast time! Com'on we're gonna be one of the last people in there. We'll have to wait in line. Com'on!" Jessica shouted at me and Carly. Ugh, processed food. Gross.

We were walking down a wide hall with many cells lining the walls. There were other prisoners fumbling around trying to get up to breakfast and every time we passed a guard they mumbled, "God bless you," to us.

"What type of prison is this?" I questioned the twins.

"It's for Catholics or Christians or somethin' like that, they seem determined to make everyone here their religion." Carly answered me in a simplistic whisper.

"One is that not illegal, and two I state lame, these guys need a hobby." I whispered back as we entered a large and loud room. I am tempted to put my hands over my ears because they’re sensitive and it’s too loud.

The Twins expertly weaved among the tables until we got to one in the far back away from everyone else. “Hi’a! We got a new cell mate, this un’s a real kicker. Shadow, this is Sam and Justin. Sam, Justin, this is Shadow. This is where we sit at breakfast, lunch, and dinner, think you can find it again?” Jessica introduced us.

How do you respond to that? I felt the same safeness and trustfulness towards them as I did the twins, maybe I’m getting soft. We sat down, while the other four were talking and eating I was listening to everyone elses movements and conversations. I lightly touched Carly’s arm and motioned toward the clique of four men and women walking our way.

“Look at what the cat dragged in, a goodie two-shoes.” This was the lead female.

“If the cat dragged her in then what the hell did it do to you?” Carly asked in a voice of pure hatred.

“What’d you say to me you little bitch.” The lady rounded on her.

 “If the cops are cats and Carly is a female dog then in retrospect Carly would be able to kick the crap out of the cops and therefore free herself from this lame prison. Also you did not specify what type of dog, henceforth she could be a great dane and bite the rudeness out of your attitude.” Nope wasn’t getting soft I definitely didn’t like this one. Sam and Justin looked at me like I’d just sprouted extra arms and legs. “Besides if I was a goodie two-shoes I would not be in here I grew up sitting up straight.”

“Only goodie two-shoes sit that straight, genius.” One of the lady’s  men piped in.

“Very educational that answer was, makes you sound manly. I have better grammar and I have never stepped into a school in my life.” My voice was heavy with sarcasm, almost as heavy as the amazed stares I was getting from everyone. I stood, bowed, and said, “Now if you would excuse me I have things to do, keys to steal, bars to mutilate.” and walked away. I wound my way between the tables almost as skillfully as the Twins and made my way back to our room only brushing against a guard to lift a chocolate cigar off of him. I dropped the top part of my orange jumpsuit  showing my white tanktop and only the tops of my tattoos. Giving people only a hint of what’s under the shirt. Sam, Justin, and the Twins chose that moment to walk in.

“Yes I can talk, no I do not like it, yes I have tattoos, no I am not showing, yes I stole this cigar off a guard, no I am not playing twenty questions. The end.” I spoke immediately hoping to avoid playing twenty questions with the boys. “Those two can fill you in on anything because I trust you two, as well as I do them. Know that I do not lie and the threat of me skinning you applies for you, too.”

The boys turned on the Twins seeking answers, the Twins filled them in quickly. I waited patiently until they were finished for any unanswered questions and got a, “So who did your tattoos?” from Sam.

“A very talented artist.” I said as we went out into the yard for exercise.

Chapter 2: Escape

On Friday we were all shepherded into the cafeteria, I seemed to be the only one who had no idea what was going on, so I guess it’s a normal thing.

Jessie inched closer to my ear and whispered, “It’s the nuns, they come every Friday to help us turn to the ‘Faith.’”

"Oh, again that is illegal," I told her.

"Right, they're breaking the law and we're in here because?" Carly asked indignently.

All the prisoners must have looked a sight, everyone sitting crossed-legged on the linoleum cafeteria floor. The preacher walked in and I smiled, the smirk of a cat who has caught their prey. I recognized the slightly stooped posture, the scarred hands, and the gravelly voice that betrayed years of shouting orders. Zane.

"Why are you smiling like that? It's kinda creepy," Jessie asked from beside me. I flashed her another, real, smile. Zane's eyes were on mine the entire process, where here spotted nonsense about the 'Almighty God' and how we should 'reconsider our fates'. When the process ended, those who wanted could shake the 'preacher's' hand. I bounded up to the preacher.

"Watch this 'un Preacher Dan," One of the guys by Zane warned, "She's a rougue, I've heard a lot about her."

"What? About little old me? I am honored," I said, putting my hand over my heart theatrically. I shook Zane's hand, smiling slightly more when I felt the note that pressed into my hand. I joined the others, smiling wider as I took in their shocked expression. I soundlessly made my way to the cell I shared with the Twins.

"What was that about Shadow? What happened to your Goddess? Or did that preacher woo you with his amazingly old features?" Carly asked, disgust clear in her voice.

"Zane. His name is Zane. He was and always will be my mentor," I said as I opened my hand, the note folded neatly inside. I read it aloud for everyone to hear.

 

Kitty Kat,

     You seem to have gotten into quite a pickle, and with the Signing so close, too! I understand you got arrested because of another, but if you are not at that signing then the whole treaty will fall apart. It will be a blood shed. So, you will escape. With the help of us all of course. Inclosed with this are the picks you left at the cabin. In three days' time there will be a 'disturbance', you will need to get to the place where they keep a prisoner's stuff. Get your stuff, we will be there to pick you and anyone you want to come with up. Do not be surprised to see Mekhi, he will be picking you up. Do try not to kill each other.

Be safe,

     Zane

 

"What does that mean?" Justin asked at the same time that Sam asked, "Who's Mekhi?"

"That means that we will be getting out of here and Mekhi is a boy I grew up with, he is annoying and has deluded himself into thinking that he can actually beat me with weapons," I answered in a huff. Three days. "I do not suppose that one of you two can pick a lock?"

"No."

"Sorry."

 "Well, I suppose I shall have to unlock your cells myself. It sucks when I have to babysit newbees," I grumbled.

"Newbees?" Jessie asked, an eyebrow raised.

"Yup, everyone needs to know how to at least pick the simple locks, let alone the Forever Locks here," I answered staring lovingly at the lock on the cell door.

"Forever Locks?" Carly asked, mimicking Jessie's look.

I nodded, "It is an incredibly difficult lock to pick thanks to a series of features, including a hidden keyhole with an ingenious design, from an unknown Asian manufacturer. The locking mechanism also appears to be unable to be shimmed thanks to its design, thus meaning it cannot be bypassed from the shackle. It can, however, be bypassed by one person I know of. They can unlock anything and anywhere."

"Who?" Sam asked.

"Me."

 

 

Three days went by in a flurry of planning on our part, everyone else was still boring as usual. Although, we did have a few more run ins with the lead female, whose name I learned was Victory.

"Is everything ready for tonight?" Jessie asked as everyone sat down for dinner on Monday night. I nodded my head.

"Of course, I know the way to your cell, Jessie and Carly will meet us outside the door to the property room. I will pick you up, Mekhi will pick us up," I said shrugging.

"This isn't your first jail break, is it?" Justin asked. They had gotten used to my way of speaking and walking quietly in the shadows.

"No, I do not have time to waddle in jail," I replied evenly.

"And the pigs can't put you in here longer? Or do they just not care?" Sam asked.

"I know Tommy, besides I think they gave up trying to detain me. They must have figured out that they can not and that I have forces outside that would die for me," I said.

"So question that just hit me; What's the Signing?" Carly asked. I stared here squarely into the eyes I couldn't see until she snapped at me, "Stop it! I just wanted to know, okay? It sounded important for them to spring you to attend."

I sighed, "The Signing is a signing of the records that make peace between the for nations, the ones I told you about. I have to be there because I was the peacemaker, remember? We meet every five years to renew them, make sure everyone still agrees."

"Oh." I smiled at her before turning to the other three.

"We need to pack anything that you have in your cells, we will be getting out tonight," I told them. We got up.

"You still need to eat," Jessie mumbled. This had been an ongoing arguement, I still refused to eat the prison's processed food. I hadn't eaten in a week and could feel my strength dwindling, but I still couldn't bring myself to eat the processed food.

 

We waited the last hours in practical silence after the boys were sent back to there cell, thank Goddess they didn't have a roommate! Finally there was a commotion, all the guards were pulled away from the cells and to where ever the desturbance was. I quickly picked the lock with the tools Zane brought me, swinging the door open with a little bow.

We rushed out of the cell, the Twins going one way while I went the other to get the boys. The orange jumpsuit made it almost impossible to blend with the shadows, but I managed with all my training.

"Shadow unlock the door!" Sam hissed as soon as I was in front of the door. I nodded in his direction and listened to the lock click and bend to my will underneath my feather-light hands.The door swung open silently. I smiled smallly at the boys and motioned for them to follow.

Justin had been annoyingly tapping my arm for at least two minutes, angry I swung around to face him, "What!?!" I whispered angrilly. Just then a guard came around the corner we were standing at. His mouth gaped open as he stared at us. When he snapped out of it and turned to raise an alarm, my training stepped in and took over, effectively shoving me into the passenger seat.

I sprang, landing lightly and kicked his feet out from underneath him. He was tied and muted with a ripped off piece of my jumpsuit in less than ten seconds. He stared at us angrilly, I heaved him onto my shoulder, going in search of a janitor's closet. Having located one I shoved him into it, giving him a wave before shutting and locking the door.

"How did you do that?" Sam whispered as we made our way to the property room.

"I was not kidding about skinning someone," I said lightly as we arived, finding Jessie and Carly waiting. I brandished the keys I had grabbed off the guard when I put him in the closet. Carly's eyes widened.

"Where did you get those?" She asked.

"She beat the crap outta a guard who caught us, do not screw with this kid," Justin said as I unlocked the door, having found the right key. We entered the room, I flicked on the light, knowing it helped the others find their stuff.

"Find your shit, get dressed in what you were wearing the day you came here, there are some shelves there, we can take turns getting dressed behind there," I said quietly, running my hands over every bag. Letting myself be pulled towards the back of the room, towards my weapons. I quickly grabbed my bags, taking everything behind  the shelf. I found a rapidly changing Carly and Jessie.

I quickly pulled my tank over my head, putting on my close fitting black shirt. I slipped my arms into the sleeves of the black jacket, flipping the hood up to cover my face in shadow. I pulled the jumpsuit down, pulling up my black cargo pants.

I could feel the Twins staring as I slung a quiver and bow over my back. Rearranging them so I slip on the twin blade sheathes with them. My back was overcrouded as I strapped hidden blades to my wrists and a belt of different sized knife sheathes around my waist, letting it be slightly tilted and loose on my skinny frame.

I found the blades in another box, every blade went back to the designated spot on my body, from my bra to my twin blades. Finally I turned to the Twins still staring at me, "Yes?"

"Dude! You-"

"Look badass," They said. I smiled at their twin-like words.

"Uh, Shadow? Yeah, some weird guy in black is here, and he's glaring. Kinda has the same expression you have when you look at Victory; like you stepped in something horrible," Sam said from the other side of the shelves. I sighed, knowing I would have to deal with him sometime. I love Mekhi, honestly, I do, he can just be so annoying sometimes.

A smile lit up Mekhi's face as he saw how uncomfortable I was, "Kitten! How have you been, child?"

My eyes narrowed in my hood, "I am not that much younger than you, Mekhi. And if you have forgotten, you came along to Zane's six years after me, when I was nine."

He strode towards me, wrapping me in a hug, knowing how much I hated being hugged. I jabbed him in the stomache and flipped him over my shoulder, quickly sitting on him.

"You do understand the fact that you weigh so little that it would be harder to breath if a child sat on me, right?" He asked, flicking my hood back and allowing my hair to spill out around me. I glared at him, but he continued anyways, "As for this fight we always have? Zane said to play nice until we're out of here, so I will be a good little adult and be mature."

"Fine," I grunted, rolling off and helping him too his feet.

"I'm Mekhi!" He said brightly.

"I'm Carly, this is Jessie, Sam and Justin. I take it you know Shad?" Carly said.

"Course, she's like a little sister," Mekhi replied.

"We should get going, you guys have everything?" I asked. I got a chorus of "Yes"es. We followed Mekhi in silence, knowing we weren't free yet. I heard a shuffling behind, "Shhh." I hid in a partically dark shadow, knowing the depth by years of the shadows caressing my skin. The figure turned the corner and I jumped, knocking it down swiftly.

"Ahhhhh!" It-she- said quietly, suddenly I realized it was Victory underneath me. I hissed, jumping off like she was poison as I felt her stare at Mekhi. She sat up, still staring and whispered, "Take me with you."

"NO!" The Twins said together.

"SHHH!" I hissed at them, turning towards my foster brother, "Mekhi? It is up to you. Though I do warn you-she is not the nicest thing."

"Mekhi?" She asked, confusion clear in her voice.

Mekhi chuckled, "Not the brightest either, huh? Yup, I'm Mekhi. Really Li' Sis'? 'Not the nicest thing'? You guys are in prison, for crying out loud! You're not supposed to be the nicest things!"

"Touche, braw. Do we take her though?" I asked. Mekhi stared at Victory, then turned to me and nodded. He walked off, leaving us to follow or get left behind. I helped Victory up, putting aside my dislike of her for Mekhi's sake.

"What are you doing?" Justin hissed, indicating me helping Victory up.

"You heard Mekhi, we have to do as he says or I will get chewed out by Zane. Then we may not make it, now hurry up. Mekhi's getting too far," I whispered, shoving Victory infront of me and basically dragging her while running after Mekhi.

We caught up to Mekhi just as he was attempting to unlock a window in the officer's quarters. "Ugh bro, scooch over, you got no skills as a thief, I would say that that carreer choice is out for you," I said, bumping him over with my hip and quickly unlocking the window, sliding up the sash as I heard the click. I threw a triumphant smile over my shoulder at Mekhi, sliding out the window as I did so.

We crossed the prison yard quietly. The prison was being attacked and abused by the other three sides, leaving this one empty. Reaching the wall I quickly climbed it, sitting on top where there was a good amount of broken glass and butchered bobwire.

Mekhi threw me a rope that I quickly tied to the base where the cut bobwire was fastened. Carly climbed, with Mekhi's help, up first, closely followed by Jessie, Sam, Justin, and Victory. Mekhi came up last and joined us all crouched on the wall. Throwing the rope down the other side, he climbed down and helped everyone else down until I was the last one on the wall.

I deftly untied the rope, tossing it down to Mekhi. I jumped the fifteen feet to the ground, landing lightly in a crouch. We ran, making it to the bordering woods. We were out.

 

 

 

I changed the name of detective Sam to Tom because there's the Sam in prison.

Sorry for any confusion!

Chapter 3: Family

 We walked all night in the woods, not even Victory complaining. About nine the next day we reached the cabin. I smiled and walked right in like I did all those years as a child.

"Um, Shadow? Where are we?" Carly asked.

"Zane's cabin," I said shrugging as I walked the rest of the way in, "Danny-bear! You home?"

"Kitty-Kat!" A boy about five screamed as he launched himself into my arms, Danny. Zane followed, opening his arms to hug me. I walked into his embrace with a Danny-bear in my arms.

"What odd company you keep, my Kitten," He said, laughing.

"You're the preacher!" Victory exclaimed.

"Duh. What's the best way to infiltrate an enemy's base? Become the enemy's idol," Zane said, shrugging.

"Do you guys have any food?" I asked, walking into the kitchen and digging through the cabnets, pulling out ingrediants.

"But you're blind!" Jessie said, seeing everything I'd pulled out.

"Yup, she is. But she's still the best cook here, the most I can cook is soup. I believe she's gonna make pancakes for us," Zane replied as a golden retriever and a black panther ran thru the kitchen door, jumping on me.

"Dezzy, Baghy, off, off, off!" I laughed, squirming underneath my animals. I got up, covered in dirt from their paws when they finally got off me. I rubbed their heads, kneeling down and hugging them. Dezzy-Destiny-plopped on my feet while Baghy-Bagheera-lay behind my heels, effectively trapping me like they did whenever I cooked.

I began making the pancake mix, thankful I'd gotten all the ingrediants and was making the batter on the stove. I mixed everything I'd gotten out, sticking my finger in the mix at the same time Mekhi did. I licked my finger, slapping the back of his head playfully.

"What? So you're allowed to?" He asked.

"I am cooking, deal with it," I replied, dumping a spoonful of the mix on the hot stove, "Shit. Mekhi, you know how much I love you right?"

"Sometimes, how much do you love me right now?" He asked.

"Enough that I will sick B&D on you if you do not get me the spatchula," I replied, glaring. He laughed and handed me the spatchula. I flipped the pancake expertly.

"So exactly what's going on here? What is that thing? And who is everyone?" Victory asked, for once the Twins, Justin, and Sam nodded.

"What's going on is we helped get you guys out of prison, S grew up partly here, 'that thing' is a black panther that would have died if not for S so he sticks around, and I'm Zane, you've met Mekhi, and that's Danny, my son," Zane said.

"Ooo-kay," Carly said, breaking it into two syllables, "What'd she do to save the panther?"

"I was walking thru the woods when I stumbled upon a dead mother black panther with a bear that was going to eat the cub for dinner. I made the bear deal with only eating the mother while I took the cub. And thus comes Bagheera, or Baghy," I said from the stove. Everyone but Danny, Mekhi, and Zane stared. Instead Mekhi wrapped his arms around my waiste from behind, sneaking a pancake from the plate.

I elbowed him in the ribs, hard enough that he let go but not hard enough to injure. I continued making pancakes till someone spoke up.

"Wow, how'd you get Dezzy?" Jessie asked, motioning towards the retriever at my feet.

"We busted a few animal breeding farms a few years back, a female breeder who just had puppies died. She was one of the puppies that was left motherless. She was in the worst shape; hypothermia, starving, abuse. I took her becaue I was not allowed to keep all of them," I replied, still making pancakes, the stack had grown impeccably tall. I ran out of mix and set the pancakes on the table. Grabbing plates for everyone, Mekhi joined. Danny had grabbed the silverware while Zane had grabbed glasses. I went to the fridge and got the milk and OJ out, placing them on the table with everything else.

"Do you guys do this often? 'Cuz you seem pretty coordinated," Carly asked as We went about knowing exactly what we needed to do.

"I came here shortly after my third birthday, to uphold the treaty. Mekhi came when I was nine, he had just turned fifteen, the usual time that they were chosen to be some apprentice or another. He is twenty-three now, we have been doing this for eight years. You get to know what you need to get and what the people around you will get," I said, sitting down with Mekhi, Danny, and Zane. Zane gesured for everyone to grab a seat.

"Why're there so many chairs?" Justin asked.

"I'm old, the Nightees know I'm good at what I do. The only reason Kitten's not seen as better than me is because she's younger and a girl. The used to call her runt because she hardly looked intimidating with her big violet eyes, freckles, and hair down to her waiste. Anyway there are so many chairs because sometimes we have meetings here," He said, shrugging.

"Are you sure it's because she's a girl and not because she has less experience?" Victory asked rudely.

"Oh, I'm sure alright. This girl's got more experience than most of the older of us, I think that would include me. And incase you're wondering, for us, experience doesn't mean you were there, I've been to many of Shad's things, it means you took a rule in it," Zane said, smiling slightly.

"So I have two questions, one did she ever show them that looks can be deceiving, and two you guys seem to be waiting for something to eat," Jessie said. Zane smiled at her.

"Oh yeah, she show'd us all that we had previously underestimated our opponents. One guy, he'd just turned sixteen when she came, his name's Zeke, he was relentless. Always picking on her, calling her runt and weakling, finally she snapped. She showed everyone that she wasn't to be messed with. Wanna tell them what you did, Kitten?" Zane asked.

"I put Zeke on his ass, six of his friends rushed me, six growing teenagers against one little kid that was not even four yet. When the adults came, I was standing amid a pile of groaning bodies all with one thing broken or another, smiling sweetly at the three of his friends that had actually seen how expertly I had grounded Zeke and had not rushed me. All the adults knew was that a disturbance was amoung the apprentices and that there were three teenage boys backing away from a little sweet-looking girl," I said, smiling at the memory.

"Yeah, I happened to be one of the adults that came to the scene. I remember thinking, 'What the hell?' when I saw how carefully these boys were backing away from my apprentice, as well as Zeke and his friends. Everyone of their stories were the same; the boys attacked her, she snuffed them out. One boy actually said, 'Yeah, we came at her, but she's the devil's child!'" Zane asked, smiling, like me, at the memories.

"Okay, and what exactly are you waiting for to eat?" Carly asked.

"We got into the habit of saying something before we eat," Mekhi said, placing one hand palm up and one palm down slightly above the table. I did the same, sliding my palm up hand underneath his palm down one, so the palms of our hands were touching. Zane did the same with my other hand while Mekhi smiled encouragingly at Victory. She slowly slid her hand onto his, holding out her other one to Sam. It only took a few minutes but finally our circle was complete.

"Something good that happened!" Danny said from beide Zane.

"Good idea! I believe everyone has something good to say about something today," I said, smiling down at my Danny-bear. "Zane?"

"Mekhi and you haven't got into a single fight," He said, smiling fondly at us.

"Kitty-Kat's back! With friends!" Danny said. I chuckled.

"Jessie?" I asked.

"I got out of that God-awful prison," She said. I set my sightless eyes on Carly, right next to her twin.

"Ditto." I shook my head.

"No, it has to be from you," I said, frowning.

"I trusted you and found myself in a nice place, surrounded by peace," She said slowly. I nodded and smiled.

"I got some great exercise," Justin said from beside Carly. I grinned at him, he was talking about the nice long walk here.

"I made a new friend," Sam said, directly to Justin's left. He looked at Mekhi who smiled.

"I think I found people that actually care," Victory said quietly, we all stared at her until Zane spoke.

"Everyone here cares," He said firmly.

"I got my little sister back, and learned that I'll never be cut out to be a thief after all so I renewed my hope with piracy," Mekhi spoke with a goofy smile, making us laugh out any remaining tension from Victory's confession. My turn.

"I enlarged my family," I said, looking at all of them, including Victory who stared back, surprised.

Chapter 4: The Bandit

 We moved to the living room, sending Danny off to bed. Zane soon got to business, where would we all be?

"Okay, so plans for this week; your friends can go and leave and hopefully not get caught by the police, while Mekhi, Shad, and I start out for the Signing. That way we have a descent camp spot, your friends are free, and everyone is over all happy. That sound good?" Zane said, ticking everything off his fingers as he went.

"No, where S goes, we go," Jessie said, dead serious. "To the Signing?" She nodded, "With us?" Again she nodded. "Do you even know what the Signingis about?"

"It's about world peace between people that are often heard but not seen," Justin said into the sudden silence after Zane's question.

"You did your homework," He grumbled.

"Not really, S explained it pretty badly when we asked her about it, can you give us a better explaination?" Sam asked.

"How much did she tell you?"

"She told us that the Signing had stopped the war between four peoples that were hidden in plain sight. She also said that the Signing was made possible because three of the four peoples agreed to sharea child that didn't have blood from anyone. Thus stopping the war and making enemies and friends of thedifferent clans in each people. There was also something about the fourth nation being brought in by default."Justin replied, summing up what I had told them. 

"Yes, and did she tell you that when the child accepted to be shared, many people have begun to want that child dead because they lay to gain something if the war happens? We've held it off with the Signing for fifteenyears, how much longer until someone gets in a lucky shot and our treaties all fall apart?" Zane said.

"Lay off, Zane, I have not been killed yet," I told them angrilly. 

"No, not yet, but Raziuli got pretty close," I paled at the mention of Raziuli, shuddering as the memoryof standing over his grinning lifeless body went thru my mind.

"Damn Zane! Can you be any more of an ass!?!" Mekhi yelled, wrapping his arms around me and glaring at our mentor. Justin, Sam, the Twins, and Victory sat looking between the three of us, me and Mekhi cuddling on the couch, Zane looking lost. 

"I'm sorry, Kitten, I lost my temper. I don't want to end up losing you," Zane said, looking at the ground. 

"Papa? What'd you do to Kitty-Kat?" Danny asked, crawling between Mekhi and I. He was apparentlystill tired as he didn't even keep his eyes open for the answer.

"Okay, what's with the derogative cat names?" Victory asked.

"Do you even know what the word 'derogative' means?" I ased, sighing.

"I'm serious," She said, "What gives?" 

"If you must know, I have never really liked water. I can swim, I would be stupid if I could not, what with who I am, but I really, really hate the stuff. So, that became something I lived by, everyone knows I fear the water but they also know I can shove that fear into the passenger seat to get the job done," I replied. 

"Why would you tell people something you fear if there are people that want you dead?" Victory asked incrediously. 

"It would have been too hard to hide, being as I have spent a good deal of time on a ship, cats fear water,when I was little a man used to call me his Little Kitten, the name just kind of stuck. Everyone started calling me some variation of Kitten. Zane, are we going with the Bandit?" I directed the last part at Zane. 

"Do you want to?" He asked warily. I nodded, a smile lighting up my face. "Well then, who exactly is going?" 

"I don't know about Tweedle Dee and Dum, and the extras, but I'm not that good at dodging the heat, so I'm in," Victory said, I burst out laughing, the high pitched sound startling her, "What?" 

"If you were so good at dodging the pigs, you would not have been in that jail, so I am asuming that means none of you guys are very good at it," I said, still giggling. 

"She has a point, that'd make a lot of sense," Mekhi said. 

"If she's so good at it, how'd she get caught?" Victory asked.

"I was hounding out at the Underground's Overground, sleeping, you know, the usual, when I heard sirens, told everyone to get out, and stayed back to find the police trying to pick up a six year old girl. I stopped them, takingthe heat from the girl to the imposing tall person with weapons strapped across their back," I said, shrugging.

"Underground's Overground? So is that like aboveground where we are now? Or is the Underground not really underground? Someone explain this please!" Victory said from the doorway where she'd been lounging.

"The Underground is the thieves' hangout, it is litterally under the ground. There are two ways to get in, both of which you'd need to have a thieves' guild thief with you. One is a family gravehouse for the first thief, awesome place really, who would think to look in a person's grave when it is not even known the were a thief, let alone the maker of the guild. And the second is in the Overground, a shower in a bomb shelter," I said.

"Why would you need a thief to get in then and what is the Overground?" Justin asked.

"Some ritual or another that bades a hostial person's entry and only allows in thieves and the people they trust enough to take with. As for what the Overground is, it is a long ago abandoned mansion, the guild bought it, renovated it and it has been the home of the thieves since," I answered, yawning.

"Okay, you guys are tired, there's an extra bed in Danny's room Carly, Jessie, Victory, that one you share. Mekhi, you Shad and Danny sleep in his bed. Justin, Sam, one f you can take my bed while the other can take Mekhi's," Zane said, snapping his fingers to make us hurry. Mekhi got up, grabbing my hand to help pull me up with Danny still in my arms.

We lead the way to Danny's room, the second bed had been mine whenever I was here but Danny and I always ended up on the same bed anyway. I am not a pedophile, Danny was practically raised by me so we stuk together. I layed down with Danny, thinking better of going to bed in what I wore I went to the closet. I picked out the pajamas that had gotten a little short on my growing lanky form.

"Watch him for a second, please," I said gesturing to Danny and Mekhi relaxed on the bed, not sure which one I had meant.

"'Kay."

I went to the hall bathroom, quickly undressing but still tucking throwing knives into the sleeves. The pink Hello Kitty pajamas were my favorite, even if I hated the color pink. The pajamas were as big a size as I could get so they were loose on my frame, but still were a bit short, making them ride up even when my arms were down.

I walked out of the bathroom, walking into a solid wall of muscle, I muttered a curse as I realized I had been destracted enough to be surprised. I rubbed my nose which had taken the brunt of the blow.

"Wow, finally admitting you're blind?" Justin asked as I strung a few more curses together in an intricate pattern that Justin raised his eyebrows at. "This term is completely overused, but you curse like a sailor."

I laughed, "You seem to have forgotten that I am a sailor. As will be shone promptly when we board the Insidiatoris Præda."

"The what?" He asked.

"It means 'The Bandit's Prize', that is the captain's ship," I told him.

"You said something about a bandit earlier, asking if we were going with a bandit," He said.

"No, I asked if we were going with the Bandit. He is amazing and sweet and calm and the perfect captain," I said, turning to go back to the room.

"'He is amazing and sweet and calm'? Yet he calls himself the Bandit, why is that?" Justin asked and I gave him the only answer I had.

"You will see the truth." I made my way to the bedroom, I could feel everyone's but Mekhi and Danny's eyes on my pajamas. Partly because Danny was asleep and Mekhi was too busy staring at Victory, and partly because they were used to my styles.

"Nice PJs," Victory muttered.

"Okay, switch-up, Mekhi, go cuddle with Victory, Carly, Jessie, you guys should come over here," I said, wacking Mekhi with a pillow for good measure. He lost his balance and fell off the bed with a thump, a priceless expression was on his face.

He got up grumbling about rude little sisters and where his friends said he should stick me. I ignored it as I motioned Jessie and Carly over. We lay on the bed, Danny and I one way, the Twins the other with their feet in Danny's and my faces.

"You know what? We never thought to ask you how old you are," Jessie said out of no where.

"You're right! Shad how old are you?" Carly asked.

"Seventeen," Mekhi replied from the other bed, obviously listening in. I heard gasps as Carly, Jessie, and Victory realized just how young I really was.

"Shouldn't they have put you in a foster home, or something?" Jessie asked quietly.

"They could not, I have been in jails since I was about eight, no big deal," I said.

"You're just a kid though!" Victory said.

"Yeah, how old are you again?" I said sarcastically.

"Twenty-two, that's old enough for prison, seventeen or eight isn't," She said seriously.

"Why couldn't they put you in a home?" Carly asked. I squirmed a bit from the question, it was a touchy subject for me.

"Guys drop it, you're making her uncomfortable, they coulodn't put her in a home because in the eyes of the law, she was never even born. No school, no homes, no birth certificate, nothing, so drop it," Mekhi said, knowing how much I hated the subject. We drifted into an uneasy sleep.

Impressum

Tag der Veröffentlichung: 09.03.2015

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