Chapter 1

Above the treetops the sun bobbed cheerily in and out of the clouds, casting it's selective light in the leaf-covered floor of the forest.

Within it's dense growth, however, such jovial ideas were not shared. The flickering light modeled the struggle of the life that was leaving. Come dusk, he would be nothing more than another feast for the bugs. But, now, at this moment, he was nothing more and nothing less than a liar. And a father, with one not even half-grown son. And no mother to protect that son, for she had passed four summers ago - On the eve of his birth.

The same son that he had watched over being brought here, now watched him leave. Taureg turned his now sightless eyes to the sky, the sickness had blinded him early on. He could feel the sunlight dancing on his deeply tanned skin, and regrets flooded him. They came anew, adding to the ever deepening pool that he grogilly waded, or sank, in. He would never see his son grow up, He should have taken better care of Marron, and that he should have been given more time. Blood saturated tears dampened his cheeks. "Arion," he rasped the name of his son.

"What?" Arion whispered, looking down at his father, his own golden eyes swimming with the confusion of understanding.

Silence of movement and sound ensued. Arion closed his eyes, dreading the worst when something wet and squishy was smeared beneath each of his eyes. "Your clan mar--," Taureg began, but fell silent. His energy was depleted, his shaking hand reunited with the Earth. HIs spirit the skies.

Removing his hands from the now cold wound, the icy blood stained Arion's hands. "Damn," came the whispered curse as he marked the tree closest to the dead man. "I won't be back," Arion whispered as he left the enemies' terrutory, open to all attacks, but knowing that he wouldn't be - Unless he returned.