Wind rushed through the emerald green meadow, pressing each blade of grass against the cold earth. The sun gave the meadow an appearance of being on fire. Soon, however, dark clouds threatened to completely fill the sky as thunder rumbled in the distance. Shadows covered the once bright plains making it look dull and lifeless. Lightning streaked against the sky seconds before rain fell torrentially from the heavens.. It was indeed a stormy night.

Crouched low to the ground was a large cat, its fur black as the dead of night. Like most cats, this one hated rain, and for good reason. Cold droplets of water washing over him like a river made his fur thick and heavy. It was difficult to move. However, and more importantly, smaller creatures were drawn out by the rain and forced to leave their homes. It was a perfect opportunity to catch a meal. The target was a small gray mouse.

Leather boots stepped into the mud nearby, then paused. The cat glanced towards the intruder, then returned his gaze to his prey. After a few moments the boots continued to move at a slow pace. Then came a soft male voice.

“Avarice! Avarice, what are you doing?” The voice sounded exasperated, weary from the day’s work, and it came from a boy no older than fourteen, squinting into the dark.

With a flick of his tail, the cat stood and nimbly approached the boy. Avarice, as the was the cat’s name, sat before the Elvin boy and tauntingly stared up with his haunting green eyes.

“You silly cat, you’re going to get soaked.”

You have no place to speak, Noir. Your hair is already completely stuck to your face. Avarice purred gently, rubbing up against Noir’s leg. And I’ve told you a thousand times at the very least: I am not a normal cat, and I am perfectly able to survive in a bit of rain, so stop worrying about me.

Frowning, Noir pulled Avarice into his arms. “If you were not a normal cat, then you would be able to speak to me.” Avarice hissed venomously at the notion. “I meant other than speaking mentally.” He shook his head, water flying from his thick black locks. Without notice, he carried Avarice away from the meadow, the storm clouds following. The mouse Avarice had been watching had gone back into its hiding spot. Avarice sulked over his lost meal.

It was a long walk back to his village, but Noir didn’t mind. The extra time allowed him to ponder recent events and the stories he had recently heard from the local priest. As he mulled over his thoughts, his curiosity grew. “Avarice?”

Yes, O-Dinner-Snatcher?

Ignoring Avarice’s remark, he asked, “What did you think about the sermon the priest gave last evening?”

Did you honestly expect me to pay attention to that old man’s ramblings?

Noir sighed heavily. “So you disagree with him entirely,” he concluded. “I don’t understand him at all. Elves have always been thought of as the highest race of all, but…”

But humans are just like you, Avarice finished for him. But they’re not like you at all. Humans are similar to us only in appearance, and even then there are extreme differences between the two races in that aspect. Today’s elves live in the forest and green plains. That is where they thrive. They weave their magic into the places that they live, which allows the plants to grow. They live longer than humans could ever dream because they are magical creatures themselves. That is only part of the difference.

“The priest said that humans were like insects. They should be crushed beneath our boots because that’s what they deserve.”

That is why humans are extinct; Your race’s feelings of menace towards the humans forced them out of the circle of life. The elves killed each and every single human they ever found. They’re all gone by now.

Noir pushed open the wooden door to his hut, his mind swimming with the new information. Living on the outskirts of the village was perfect for the occasional hunt, and the location was closer to the next town. “I don’t think they’re extinct. I mean, can we really eliminate every single human from existence? There’s bound to be one hiding somewhere…Maybe beneath our very feet, or in this very room!” He pressed his hands against the blue metal panel beside the doorframe and the lamps in the room instantly laminated itself with a hazy blue light. He looked around the room carefully in hopes of finding a human in hiding.

The oak table in the middle of the room was the same as it had been when Noir had left, and the four chairs that surrounded it had not moved an inch. Even the family picture of his parents and younger brother remained tilted.

Avarice jumped to the floor and nestled himself on a bearskin rug. I remember when elves never ate meat. They never killed animals either.

“That was over two thousands years ago. I couldn’t imagine dinner without meat, it would be so tasteless!” Noir went to his room to spread clean sheets over his bed, then made his way into the bathroom. “And besides,” he continued, unnecessarily louder so Avarice could verbally hear him, “meat is good for you.”

When the elves die from red meat like the humans did, you will believe otherwise. I, on the other hand, am a carnivore and I actually need meat to survive. Your race could live off of plants well enough— they did so in the past. Avarice cut the mental link off and buried his head under his paws, rolling onto his side. He still liked the warmth of the bearskin rug, even if it had come from another living animal. However, he was not about to admit that to Noir. The dead bear was a perfect example of predator versus prey. The prey had lost.

In the bathroom, Noir washed his face with warm water and dried both his face and hair with a towel. He looked at himself in the mirror, noticing for the umpteenth time how his long black hair made him look even paler than he was. The length of his hair made him look feminine, but he didn’t mind too much— all elves grew their hair to at least to their waist— and he couldn’t help but smile at the way his long pointed ears poked out from underneath his hair. He truly was an oddity. Elves were fair creatures with fair hair and fair skin. Noir was one of the few with black hair and his skin was milky white in contrast to his hair. He shook his head and laughed.

Avarice glared up from his spot on the rug. Even when their minds weren’t linked together, Noir still managed to pester him. Your test is tomorrow. Why don’t you study instead of laughing at your reflection?

Noir emerged from the bathroom, no longer laughing.

What?

“I…forgot.”

Avarice stared blankly at Noir, whose own green eyes had grown wide. You forgot? How in the world could you forget? You have known about tomorrow for fourteen years! Shame! Pure, unadulterated shame! Have you studied at all, Noir?

Noir buried his face into his hands, conscious of his ears lowering in shame. “I must be a complete idiot for forgetting. Damn! The priest will have my head on a silver platter if I fail the test!”

You are indeed a complete idiot for forgetting and I cannot deny it. At the very least you will show up, albeit unprepared.

Noir glared through the spaces between his fingers. “You’re not helping!”

Avarice curled up tightly on the rug. I simply can’t believe you would forget something so important. Tomorrow is the most important day of your life.

“I know, Avarice.” His words were bitter now. “But maybe I can feign being ill.”

And maybe the mule will bear offspring. When Noir stared dumbly, he added, Mules are hybrids that cannot bear young. Well, usually not…

“What if that’s on the test?”

Well, at least you will know the answer to the question. Keep in mind that the test isn’t written out for you to answer. It’s a physical test of endurance and intelligence.

“Great. Just great!” Noir wrapped his arms around his stomach, gently hugging himself. “What if I fail, Avarice? Would they really lock me up in a cold and damp room? One of the old dungeons where there light can’t penetrate? Then what would my brother do? Who would take care of him?”

You’re making it worse by panicking. Take a book and read for a while to calm yourself. You’ll feel better.

Noir forced himself to stalk to a chair and stiffly sit. His fingers whitened as they tightly clenched the armrests. “I’m relaxed,” he told himself. He chanted the mantra. “I’m relaxed… I’m relaxed… ” He closed his eyes and took deep breaths. I won’t become an adult if I fail. What will I do then? “Zirrander,” he whispered, “he’ll be left alone again.”

He will always have me if you cannot take care of him.

Noir looked aside. “I promised him I’d become an adult and take care of him. I can’t break that promise, Avarice, it’s too cruel to do to a child! Mother is leagues away from here and Father could be anywhere, looking for humans. I’m his only family left that can love him properly.”

He is only two years younger than yourself. Stop worrying about such trivial things. You will become an adult and you will take care of Zirrander. Think these things tomorrow morning and you will be fine.