Somewhere within the depth of a cave lies a lurking beast. A rat scurries along the wet ground of a dark and damp cave. It squeaks as it scavenges the wet floor, its whiskers twitching along with its searching nose. As it looks about it pauses and lifts its head. It can be seen staring into the bleakness of black, as if sensing something. Before it could run off, a large grey hand appendage lurches out from within the darkness and slams down on the rat. The rat screeches out before it is brought into total darkness with the hand. The visceral sounds of flesh and bone crushing can be heard from within the dark, then silence.

  .A falcon soars high in the sky, its impressive wingspan passing it over the desert high reaching slopes and peaks. It comes to a clearing where the mountains made of sand and rock parts and makes way for a valley that sits below. The falcon flies just above a village that sits near a larger mountain with a stretching peak that reaches out and encompasses the village below. Through the eyes of the flying beast we see the kindle that lives in the village beneath it. It is a village of volkin. The volkin kindle moves about as they carry out their daily duties of tending and providing to their home. The land belongs to the clan known as Red Ravage and this is their home. As the elders tend to their necessary chores, youngkin can be seen playing and chasing each other. To the far east of the large village sits a hunt that looks to fit the size of twelve. Just outside the hut sits three young volkin. They look to be the age of eight and look to be alone as they sit in a circle in front of their house made of straw and wood. One of the volkin youngkin glances up at the passing falcon, his sullen yellow eyes shone brightly in the morning sunar steadily rising just beyond the rocky mountains. He looks unamused by the ordinary flying beast but curious over it at the same time. The falcon lets out a quiet call as it spots its next meal and pivots its linear course towards it, leaving the curious youngkin back with his boredom. The boy dips his head back down and looks towards his splayed feet and legs, waving them back and forth as he sits in the dirt with his arms propped behind him. He had very short dark spikey hair with a white fade down around his round head and dark eyebrows to match. His yellow wild eyes were lidded with complacent boredom as he stared at his bare clawed feet. The boy looked to be around the age of eight and sat with two other children who were assumed to be of the same age or older given the height differences.

  "I'm bored," said the spiked hair boy, seemingly looking to the other two for answers to his dilemma.

  "We're all bored," said a taller boy with similar dark hair. He had short dreads that were slightly longer than the smaller boy's and a band of long locks that hung down in front of his face with an arch at the top.

  "Yeah, but I'm really bored," protested the small boy who then grazed his chin with the front of his hand, smearing some dirt there.

  "There isn't anything we can do about it," the voice of a small girl said. She had longer locks than her brothers that reached to her shoulders and were the color of dark brown where her brothers' were black. She had wider yellow eyes than they and was a lot smaller. She cast her eyes at her own bare feet and sighed. " What a dull morning..."

  A passing wind of the desert settlement brisked through, phasing through the children and missing their hair as they say mulling over their thoughts on what to do with themselves. Just as the silence was beginning to unsettle the kids, the tallest spoke up.

  "We could... Check out this cave I found...?" As if he were gaging their excitement over his proposal, the tallest boy looked to his brother and sister who then piped up, their volkin ears perked and leaned forward towards him. He was always spurring up his siblings this way.

  The girl leaned forward, hands on her dirt covered knees, "what cave?" She almost sounded skeptical. She was always wary of her brother's call to adventure especially when it would involve them leaving their village and I to possible trouble but the one to voice this would be the smallest boy.

  "We're not going to get into trouble are we?"

  "Of course not!" the tallest boy exclaimed, rising to his feet and dusting himself off of the sand debris. "I'll show you, come on!"

  "Shouldn't we let someone know where we're going first?" The smaller boy asked, slowly getting to his feet as well.

  "They'd only say no to us going. There's something really special inside there that I wanna show you guys!"

  "And how do you know about this cave?" The girk asked, crossing her arms accusingly.

  "I've been there before," explained the adventurous boy, almost proudly.

  "Without us?" the girl went on.

  "Is that why you're always missing whenever you get in trouble with ma and da?" The smaller boy speculated, dusting off his hands and placing them at his wide hips. He was a husky boy compared to the scrawny two siblings. The tallest would reply with a sneer.

  "No, not when I get in trouble--just because I want to!"

  "Ok."

  "So let's go already! I wanna see this special thing you said!"

  "Shh, Kanida not so loud! The elders may hear!"

  "Where is this cave anyways?" The smaller boy asked.

  "It's across the desert, not far from here."

  "You want us to walk across the desert for a stupid cave??"

  "Wait till you see what's inside! Come on I'll show you!"

  The trio make they way towards to borders of their village. They get curious eyes from the other elders but non stop them as they make their journey all the way out of the village uninterrupted. They travel across the village and I to the hot sands of the desert. Even as children they seem well adapted to the harsh climate and trek through the sand seemingly with ease despite them not having anything visible protection of their feet. The smaller boy seemed to be the slowest as he lagged behind his siblings, often calling out for them to wait for him as he caught up. There was a slope of sand as they reached nearer to their destination, promptibt them to have to roll and tumble down the slanted face of sand and onto planier ground again.

  "It's just up ahead" the boy explained, pointing to a flat faced mountain. The two other siblings caught up with the first one and looked to the face of the mountain. Just off the side sat a crack in the wall, it was just wide enough for the youngkin to slip through. Once inside they were immediately greeted with darkness. The darkness was so dense that not even their volkin vision could pierce through, forcing them to have to use a torch.

  "Why is it so dark in here?" Kanida asked with a slight shiver to her body. She held at her arms as if she were cold before looking about. "I can't see a thing in here, Rubis!"

  "Don't worry, I got it." Rubis bent down to pick up a nearby torch he had previously placed before coming back to the cave and struck it with ashur magica. Kanida widened her eyes and gasped as she saw the unbelievable happen before her eyes. "Rubis! What are you doing?? Using magica like that?"

  "Relax," Rubis assured with a confident grin on his face that could only be seen by the light of the torch infront of him, "No one can see us here."

  "So we're alone in here? Creepy..." Kanida stated, rubbing her arms even more so.

  "Come on," Rubis continue, motioning his head forward, "It's just up ahead."

  "What's up ahead?" Sol then asked, squinting his eyes to peer into the pitch blackness. "It's so dark in here--what are you trying to show us?"

  "It's a secret," winked Rubis as he'd lead his siblings through total blackness to wherever he wanted to take them. They treked through the dark, keeping close to Rubis as possible as they passed rock and stone. The sound of water droplets and falling rocks surrounded them. Something croaked loudly in the dark, spooking the youngkin momentarily before Rubis would explain in a rather shaky voice that it was just a frog.

  "You sounds unsure about this, Rubis. Maybe we should turn back," Sol would suggested, glancing over his shoulder at the eventual disappearance of the cave entry, its light slowly dying out the further they ventured into the cave.

  "Don't be a baby, we're almost there."

  "Are you sure? We can't see a thing in here even with our night vision."

  "Yes! I've been through these caves a dozen times now. I know my way around... Let's see... That rock looks familiar, or maybe it was that one...?"

  "Rubis..."

  "Shhh, I think I hear something!" Kanida exclaimed, grabbing a hold of Rubis and pointing forward. The trio all halt with Rubis stationed in the front. He waves the torch around to get a good look around and held still. The depths of the cave was quiet all save for the ambiance. Pitch blackness and silence awaited them.

  "I don't hear anything, Kanida," Rubis stated, pressing on, but was stilled by his sister who insisted that she had heard something.

  "It's probably you being scared that's making you hear things. There's nothing in this cave."

  "That's where you're wrong, jaggermouth..."

  Another voice sprang out from the darkness that chilled the trio and froze them in place. With sudden realization Rubis snarled and whipped the torch about, catching a glimpse of the other who spoke.

  "Jaiden, what are you doing here??"

  "I can ask you the same thing, runt..."

  A much taller boy emerged from the shadows of the cave and into the light of the fire. He wore a smug grin on his face as he watched the torch wave back and forth in front of him. "Is that suppose to scare me? Hah, you don't have the guts, but you do have balls for wandering into this dark cave all by yourselves."

  "Get out of here, Jaiden! We don't care why you're here, just go!"

  Jaiden's smug grin flipped into a frown and he suddenly ceased the waving torch by the wooden stalk, causing Rubis to gasp.

  "I'm not going anywhere, jaggermouth... Not until you lot tell me why you're in this cave!"

  "It's none of your business!" snapped Kanida, who hid behind Rubis for support. Her volkin ears were laid flat against her head and fangs visible. "How did you know we were coming in here anyway? Did you follow us?"

  Jaiden's head can be seen clicking to Kanida, his smug grin appearing again. "And I don't have to tell you anything, but I can and will tell the elders what you've been up to! Sneaking around in caves and what's this?" The older volkin boy snatched the torch from Rubis's hand and looked it over. "How'd you light this torch? A pair of dumb runts like you don't know how to make fire."

  It was at this point that the trio fell quiet, Kanida and Sol looking to Rubis who only stared daggers into the bully.

  "You used magica, didn't you?" said Jaiden knowingly who then took on a serious look of authority. "You know you're not suppose to use magica--"

  "Shut up, Jaiden! I didn't use magica! I....!"

  Jaiden was dangerously close in Rubis's face now. "You what?" he sneered, awaiting an answer from the smaller boy who could only bite his words back and looked away. Jaiden laughed and grabbed a hold of Rubis's torn tunic, bringing him closer face to face. "Oh this is gonna be good..."

  “Be quiet!” Interrupted Kanida, “Do you hear that? There’s that noise again…” The bunch paused in their squabble long enough to listen to watch Kanida insisted. “I know I heard something.”

  “What are you talking about?” Jaiden snapped. “What am I suppose to be hearing?”

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  “Just be quiet for a second!” Urged Kanida once more. Her talk pointed volkin ears could be seen swiveling and pointing towards the darker depth of the cave. “Something sounds like it’s… moving…”

  “Oy, don’t kid like that,” Jaiden nervously laughed, grabbing Kanida by the scruff of her leather jumpers. “You trying to scare me?”

  As Kanida moved to free herself there came a rumbling growl from the darkness just behind them. The group of youngkin all gasped and backed away from whatever made the noise. The darkness roiled with rumbling growls then something seemed to drag its way forward. The kids all stood still, awaiting to see what lumbered towards them. With the light given by the torch Rubis held, a large, pale grey hand could be seen reaching out them slumped on the ground, its arm pulling the weight of… something that the dark still veiled. Whatever it was it sounded big. Too terrified to move, the group of youngkin watched at the pale grey large hand pulled its mass behind it till it was vaguely seen by the torch’s light. It reared up its baled head and bellowed out a roar so loud, it rattled the chilkin in their wake. With no words between them, Rubis was the first to gather himself and stood his ground.

  “Stay back!” He ordered the bestial being and waved his torch back and forth furiously. The pale beast seemed to be deterred by the display of courage given by the boy, only to then recollect and loomed forward. The pale beast easily towered over the kids as it raised it’s body with its elongated arms. It wide, long jaw was gaped open as it bellowed out a screeching cry the would threaten to deafen the ears of the young volkin. Before neither of them could get a good look at the thing, Rubis pitched his torch at it, the flung torch smacking the lumbering beast clear in the face and forcing it to retreat back into the darkest parts of the cave with an unnatural and unsettling cry. Taking that time, Rubis grabbed Kanida by the hand and made a dash back towards the mouth of the cave with Sol and Jaiden quickly behind. Rubis took every which way he felt he could remember to get back to the exit, but without the guiding light of his torch, he was confused by the many narrow pathways of the tunnels and soon found himself lost. He came to a stop when his night vision notices two splitting paths. The others noticed as well.

  “Which way, Rubis??” Questioned his sister, breathing hard from both fear and their running from… Was it following them? They looked back to make sure they weren’t being followed, keeping quiet to hear any odd sounds out of place.

  “I think we lost it.”

  “What was that thing??” Jaiden questioned, staring over his shoulder and backing away from the darkness that could not be seen. “How do we get out of here, Jaggermouth??”

  “I’m trying to think!” Rubis stated, rapidly darting his eyes from left to right, hardpressed on making a decision but his ailed mind would not let him. All he could see before him down the narrow paths was more darkness, clouding his judgement full of doubt and worry. What if he picked the wrong one? He and the others would surely be led down a path of danger and possible right into the grasp of the monster. Another roaring growl was heard emitting behind them and Rubis was prompt to move.

  “Father would tell me, whenever I was lost, to choose the right path…” His eyes darted from lef to right again then settled on the right side of the split, bringing Kanida and Sol with him. “This way!”

  The group of kids hurry down the path, literally running blind with nothing infront of them save for pitch blackness. Rubis would feel his sister lag behind as she struggled to keep up with hi. When he felt her hand slip from his he skidded to a halt and sought to retrieve her but was shocked by what he saw. There behind them was the pale creature that pursued them. The dimly litted torch he once carried now belonged to the thing as it somberly hauled its defiled body towards them. Each painstaking pull of its body brought shivers throughout the kids and froze them in place once more. As it neared, the visage of its face could be made out by the torch it now held.Its slacked jaw held a sickening grin that could chill. The horror of what the chilkin witness could not be comprehended, even more so when the thing began to speak.

  “I… have not feasted upon flesh…. Like yours in so long….” The thing spoke in a dry rasp, its struggling front limbs wobbled as they hauled the lame body. The closer it drew the more of its body became apparent to the youths. It was a tall and lanky beast with no visible hair along its grey body. The torso was wide and large while its midsection bulged in heavy weight. There were no blemishes or physical injuries on the surface of the creature’s body, but scars and boils riddled the thing, giving it a gruesome and terrible display. Kanida looked away from the thing, burying her face in Rubis’s shirt. It was like looking at a living nightmare.

  “For months I have been… feasting on the bones and bodies of ratsssss….” The words came out like gooey ink that spilled over the jagged teeth of the creature as it spoke to them, dragging its lain body ever closer. “Months dwelling in this foresaken prison and forced to eat…. Meager meals… Then… I find… food….” The oily words slithered through the grinning teeth of the creature and the kids took off again, screaming at the top of their lungs. Before neither of them could gain any distance from the horror, it slammed his massive arm down, breaking off their path and putting a stop to their running.

  “No… I think… you will stay…. For dinner… I am so… so very… hungry….!” The creature lurched forward with its hanging jaw agape, like that of an illkin it bore down on the youth, seeking to eat the closet volkin young that being Jaiden. Jaiden could do nothing but watch as the horror rose over him, eclipsing him in its shadow. He wailed and shielded his face with his arms, doing nothing more to save himself from the pending doom that awaited with just one bite of this thing and yet, there was nothing. All save for the resounding sound of Rubis hollering behind him then past him as the smaller boy rushed towards the thing. With an ignited first, Rubis lept in the air and sent down his little fist of fire and might and lands a punch on the creature’s face. The powerful punch was enough to stagger the thing from eating Jaiden and pivot him towards the left. It dropped the torch and let out a series of pained wails, clutching its face with its large hand and further protecting its ugly mug. It had been stricken clear in the face which had caused damage to its right eye, temporarily staggering the creature. With it temporarily disabled, the youngkin were able to flee. With Kanida and Sol both held in hand, Rubis led them down the darkened path with no clear knowledge of where he was going. All he could do was recite what his father had taught him, keeping to the right whenever he would run into another split and never looking back, not even when he could hear the clambering of the creature stalking close behind. He kept his eyes trained on the ground, avoiding any rocks and corners he could make out with his night vision till he’d suddenly stop infront of an edge. The pathway had suddenly stopped for them with an edge’s fall as deep and dark as the tunnels of the cave. Rubis peered forward more to see how wide the cliff had been, able to see that the gap was not terribly wide, but still considerable that one would need to jump. With no time to spare and think, Rubis backed away from the cliff for a running start.

  “Jump!” He’d quickly tell the others and without thinking they did so, clearing the gap with relative ease for the agile young volkin. They all land with a tumble and terribly out of breath. Once clearing, they all stood to watch the crawling flesh fiend find its way towards them. In its pursuit, it failed to notice the cliff and came slipping into it. It struggled for purchase on the other side, but the youngin all took a hand in helping it down to its demise below with kicks and shoves at its gripping clawed fingers. It gives way to its weight and falls down below, crying out in a piercing screech till a loud thud could be heard, then, nothing.

  They did not look back as they made a break back to sunar light nor did they slow down, breaching back to the cave’s entrance full of fear and exhaustion. Then came the bawling of tears as they were all relieved to be allow and survive that horror. One they recovered, wiping their dirty faces with the back of their hands, Jaiden was on Rubis, but this time, with the offering of his tethered shirt.

  Rubis looked towards the offering and said nothing as he took it in his hand and wiped his face.

  “You saved us, Jaggermou–I mean… Rubis…”

  Rubis looked to Jaiden for the first time and let out a laugh. He laughed so hard he fell his hands to his knees and bowed his head. Jaiden as well as the others were stunned by this. But the infectious laughed proved too much for the youngkin as they all began to laugh with him.

  Their laughter was suddenly broken when the sound of another boy’s voice broke in, shattering their moment.

  “Hey Jaiden! Whatcha doing down there?” Asked a much taller boy as he skid down the sandy slopes. Beside him were two younger boys around the same age as Rubis were seen sandballing down, their twin-like laughter was akin to cackling.

  “Whatcha doing?” They asked in unison once the trio landed.

  “Liek, I–”

  “Found you a coupla runts, huh?” Liek accused, casting a glance towards Rubis and his siblings. He grinned at this before sauntering over to where Rubis stood. “Well, if it isn’t jaggermutt. What’s up, chompers?”

  The teasing tone bit into Rubis and he winched, fist flexing and star yellow eyes bore into Liek. Liek did not like this. Much like with how Jaiden previously treated him, so did Liek, but he was much worse. He gripped Rubis by his shirt and lifted him off his feet to his eye level. For a young hykin he was strong. He spat in the face of Rubis and sneered, baring his fangs.

  “Don’t like it, punk??”

  "Leave him alone!" Cried out Kanida who rushed over to kick Liek in the leg, prompting him to yelp out in pain and drop Rubis.

  "You ugly dog! Now you're gonna get it!"

  "Run!" Screamed out Sol and the trio took off running with Liek and his gang hot on their trail, barking and baying at them with jeering insults and laughter. The trio made it back up the sandy slope but not without great difficulty. Once they had reached the top, they took the moment and looked down to see a crossed Liek glaring up at them.

  "You're all in trouble now! I catch either one of ya I'll rip you to shreds! Especially you, jaggermouth boy!" He pointed a promising finger to Rubis and cackled as he'd round the slope for better purchase to climb.

  "Let's go," Urged Sol, prompting the two to leave the scene with him and make their way across the hot sand and back to their village. They were never questioned by their parents of their whereabouts, and it was assumed that they were in the clear, for now.

  "I just don't understand it," Humar would go on to say to his wife. "The chief has to know about the bullying going on with Rubis and the other boys, yet he won't do anything about it."

  "Oh, you know how boys are, Humar," Hallah went on, setting down the quiver she had newly sewn together. "They can be rowdy with one another. It's normal."

  "Not with my boy...." Humar said under his breath, crossing his broad arms and shook his head. "One of these days I'm going to catch them in the act and rip that boy's head clean off."

  Hallah gave her husband a look, half smiling but reframed from appeasing his hostile threat towards a youngkin no less. "Numar, you're overreacting. They're just children playing, that's all."

  "Our son comes home every day with cuts and bruises, that's not normal, Hallah!"

  Hallah sighed and stood up from the living room table to walk over to Numar and placed a calming hand to his bared chest shown through his leather vest. "Numar, please. Let Rubis be a boy and stop coddling him. He has to learn at a young age to fend for himself, even against bullies...."

  Numar seemed to visible melt to the soft touch and words of his wife who seemed as thought she could still the raging waters of the alu itself. She smile at him and kissed his cheek then kissed at his lips, prompting the volkin hunter to simmer down and hum into the kiss that grew more passionate the longer they remained close to each other. He hands hooked around the darker skinned female's waist and pulled her into him and she would meet him more than half way, pushing him against the wall of their hut and growing the kiss into sultry licks and butterfly kisses along your lips and jawline.

  "You know, there's room for another litter... We only have eleven chilkin, you know..." She may have been jesting, but the tone Halla carried spoke volumes and Numar would pick up on this, gulping in response.

  "Hallah, I..."

  She'd shush him with just her lips and beamed at him knowingly. "It's ok, dear, I know..."

  Numar's orange tinted hues looked into his wife with renewed love and he found himself stricken with passion once more, but before either of them could indulge in one another, their ears picked up the sounds of young breath heaving and panting. Just as they parted from each other, through the hut's doorway came rushing Rubis, Kanida, and Sol. They were out of breath and breathing hard from running.

  "There you three are. Where have you been?" Questioned the mother.

  Just as the three was catching their breath, they all stood up straight and spoke in unison. "Nowhere."

  The mother threw a look. The tallest spoke up.

  "We were just out playing."

  "Out playing, huh?" Inspected the mother. The three siblings looked at each other but said nothing. There was a moment of silence as Hallah looked into her children. She could tell that they had been up to something, how could she not? Children weren't prone to lying to their mother, even while trying to. "Alright," she finally said and moved back to the livingroom's table to tend to the sewn quiver.

  "You should have been out there doing your chores." Spoke in their father. Rubis winced and the other two downcasted their eyes.

  "Don't forget, you still have to tend to the life stalk as well and pick up the fallen straw arounf the house."

  "But that takes forever!" Exclaimed Rubis, prompting a stern look from his father who then sighed and shook his head.

  "Everyone in this family helps out, Rubis, that includes you three. Just because you're younger doesn't mean you can't help out."

  "Yes father," they all said.

  "Good, now move along..."

  Both Sol and Kanida swiftly walks out the back door and could be heard laughing and jesting with one another as they ran further away, leaving Rubis to stare at the floor. His father took notice and walked up beside his song.

  "What's wrong, son?"

  "Dah...I...."

  "Is it those bullies?"

  Rubis nodded, his eyes sullen to the floor. His father sighed and knelt down to eye level with his boy. With just his stark red eyes he'd prompt the youngin to look at him. Rubis did so.

  "The next time you run into those boys, I want you to defend yourself, you got that?

  "You mean like fight them?"

  Humar gave a soft laugh then nodded his head. "You know what I mean...."

  Rubis's eyes down casted again and he didn't speak but acknowledged what his father had said. When he looked up again, his father was holding out a letter to him.

  "Here, I want you to take this to the chief just at the edge of the village. Should be the biggest hut out there. Now get, boy. You still have chores to do!" The father gave him a sway on the back as the boy was leaving, causing him to laugh as he ran through the door.

  Rubis was excited to deliver the message. It was a personal task because he had been chosen to deliver it directly to the chief, whom Rubis has met several times before, but this would be the first time going and seeing his house. As he passed Sol and Kanida picking up the straw, he caught their eyes.

  "Where are you going?" Sol asked, immediately dropping the hay stalks mid pick up and walked over to Rubis, Kanida doing the same.

  "I'm going to see the chief," Rubis answered proudly, looking at the letter in his hand. "Dah wants me to deliver him this letter. I'm on a mission."

  "Can we come?" Kanida asked, dusting her hands at the leather tunic of her overalls.

  "Nope."

  "Why not!?"

  "It's a special mission he gave me."

  "Aww! But I wanted to come...."

  "Sorry, boy stuff."

  "What?" Kanida seemed stumped and leaned her head to the side. Rubis waved his siblings off, set on his path towards the edge of the village town.