Journeys

Admittedly I have mixed thoughts about this particular chapter. I don't really know if I'm keeping it or not, but it's all good. Review it and tell me what you think comments are always appreciated.

Thoughts

Damon:

I cling to the child in my arms fiercely. I can't help but smile when I look down at her, she is so peaceful like this. Who would have thought this sweet and innocent being would be the reason that we had to leave our home? My dear sister Razi, she doesn't understand how special or unique she is among cat demons, and none of us can figure out how to tell her. I don't really think any of us want to tell.

Our world is harsh and violent, the weak suffer unimaginable cruelty. We hold nothing back and usually women suffer the most. Male and female cat demons are very separate from one another. While females may be two or three times as strong as a regular human, the men of our species are at least ten times stronger than a regular man. As far as telepathic, telekinetic, and psychic powers go, while females have slight gifts in this arena, men seem to have exponentially more power in this arena that women do.

Razi is different from most females though. She was born stronger and when she grows up she will easily be able to tear apart any of the weaker males who dare to challenge her with the strength she possesses. As far as power is concerned Razi, has a large ability, and she may match the weaker men of our race now pound for pound with her power.

One day hopefully Razi won't have to take the abuse that most of her gender suffers. She can fight back. My sister doesn't have to be weak, defenseless, and stand at the mercy of others. She can stand up for justice and equality. But how can any of us explain these things to a girl who doesn't remember what life was like at home?

She thinks that all men are as tender as father and I. They do not hold the love for mother that my father has and if they could they would rape her to spite my father's weakness. I wish it weren't true. I wish our world did not have this brutality and self destructive qualities. I wish that somehow I could explain all of this to her and at the same time I thank the Gods that she wouldn't understand a word of what I said to her.

Razi shifts uncomfortably and whines softly in my arms. I know she is dreaming of home again. There are so many terrible situations that she could be having nightmares of, and yet I know who is hunting her in these dreams. Ezekiel, strongest and most powerful of all of our race hunts her. Ezekiel is a cold, evil, and domineering man, who for some reason, chose my precious sister, little beautiful Razi, as his new toy of interest. Poor thing was tortured and kidnapped by him many times. I suppose that it makes sense, Ezekiel, leader of our people because no one man is powerful enough to beat him in battle is attracted to Razi the shining light that over powers any of the other women's charms, even at this tender age of eight she has unparalleled beauty and power.

The good news was that the other lecherous men left her alone... the bad news was that Ezekiel is worse than all of those other men combined. She was so young, too young to endure the pain placed upon her, though for some reason he has blessedly left her a virgin still, it is a Gods send that I don't know what we did to earn. I think that I will be paying for the gift the rest of my life, but I don't care, it can be taken out of my flesh if it suits them.

I smile lightly at the memory of the joy that radiated in her eyes this morning. Razi is usually a quiet girl. She shows little emotion regardless of its nature, and most of the time I am thankful. I know she suffers here from the humans' mistreatment of her, but she rarely complains or even mentions it. More often than not all one can grasp her pain from is a hollow and dead look in her eyes. Sometimes I thank the Gods my powers are bound and I can't read her dark mind, but on the rare occasion where there is pure joy in her eyes, I would face anything to hear just a bit of the musical whismy that runs through her mind.

I know that I have the better deal when it comes to our powers. Father and I had to bind our powers to remain sane in this world and while we really should bind Razi's power too, we won't because we want her to one day rise up and fight the oppression of our world. She will need all her power and strength to win that battle. It must be unbearable to hear the hapless humans' thoughts daily grating in one's mind, unable to block them out. Razi must endure it and hopefully learn to control her powers well enough to block that sound out one day.

Today was special though, everyone is celebrating a good harvest, so Razi and I were allowed to go out to play. We wandered far away from the village to escape the hateful looks and thoughts they project towards us. Razi got out of my grasp and took off into the underbrushes, and I immediately panicked. For a moment I thought that perhaps someone was pursuing us and Razi had spooked. It wasn't until the wind changed that I smelt the fresh running water and realized that she was heading toward stream to swim. I groaned as I ran to catch up with her.

“Razi,” I had called after her, “don't get your clothes wet, you know mother will be mad!” I reminded the young tiger cub. While I hate the water, Razi, like most with tiger genes adores the it and loves swimming, though we don't let her enjoy it much.

I heard her pull off her clothes and the fabric ripped with her impatience. Before I made it to the stream there was a splash, and as I approached the stream I saw a rambunctious young cub playing in the shallows of the river stalking fish and jumping at frogs. Her head perked and stared at me as I approached. I saw the wet little figure stare at me and couldn't help but laugh and helplessly cling to a tree to keep balance.

“You look so funny! And you are going to be so cold with nothing to dry off with!” I added as I gasped for breathe.

Razi never responded she just charged at me and leapt down on the water in such a way that it sent a wave my way, which I could only partially dodge. A yowl escaped me as the cold water hit my skin and drenched me. How anyone could enjoy this is beyond me. I scowled, but she had transformed back into her more human form and was openly laughing at me. Her long, black, wet hair clung to her frame and hid it from inspection as she fell over laughing.

“You look like something the cat dragged in out of the rain,” she announced as tears from the laughter streamed down her face.

I scowled more before taking on a small smirk. I threw a small stone, far enough away from her that it wouldn't hurt her, but near enough that the splash would get her. For a moment I watched her still in fear with a look of instinctive recognition on her face, then the rock hit the water and she got splashed. After the cascade of water past her the smile was back and the fear seemed to have washed away. She was laughing again and it was beautiful.

“Damon, that is not really fair! You are supposed to join me in the water and play! Besides, that rock could have hurt me,” Razi added with mock seriousness. I feigned annoyance with the situation and we played in the woods.

I am jarred out of my thoughts as the girl below shifts again in her sleep. She clutches my clothes and a half attempted scream is released from her mouth. The collar of her shirt, which she had put back on before falling asleep in my arms, shifts and I growl lightly at the sight of a small bite mark at the juncture of her neck and shoulder. Its a mark of intention. She might only be eight, but that is apparently old enough to attract sexual intentions from some of the men, this particular man marked her as an intended mate. I hate him. It is these two little ruptures on my sister's otherwise flawless skin that made us flee our home. We could not protect her from Ezekiel, no one could do that, and he had claimed her has his. We still don't know why. I remember her intentionally defiant manner that she picked up when he tried to own her and I shudder at the way he tried to break her. Why give her the honor of mating her? Why give her that power? After all mating is a serious issue, it is a life long bond that neither partner may ever break it. Even our leader, Ezekiel is bound to the rule of our blood, which only allows one mate, and why give a defiant fighting girl that privilege? All the men would have to be kind to Ezekiel's mate as to disrespect her would be the same as disrespecting Ezekiel and no one in their right mind would do that. Usually mating was something special and the interest Ezekiel had in my sister seemed more the initial infatuation most men show towards breaking wayward prostitutes. My sister is no prostitute but at home her boldness was something that was a trademark of a lower station. Of course, whores had the scars to prove that the attitude got women nothing but pain. Razi heals more quickly though so most of the evidence of abuse disappears in minutes, but these nightmares and her memory loss attest to the mental damage that lies beneath waiting for her.

We ran to try and protect her from Ezekiel, and while the family knows it will only protect her so long, some time is better than no time. Perhaps it will be enough to help train and prepare her to fight him. I know she will fight him to her last breathe, but I doubt it will be enough. I know that with my powers bound I will be all but useless to her when the time comes, but I still pray she will win against him. I swear with everything I have, that I will be tied to her until she sees through the battle ahead of her. Gods give her strength for it because she will need it.