Of Marlena and the Kindred

Life was simple during the time of Yana and Moran. They were quite old and we were the second generation of grandchildren, after Syrin had changed the first children and made different races. We were a small group and called ourselves the Kindred of the Dawn. We chose this name because each morning we awoke at dawn to explore and learn about our world.

One evening we happened upon a cave, it was nearly dark, so we decided to turn back and explore in the morning. I woke up earlier than the others and found the youngest, Dalin, missing. There were footprints all around our camp, so I woke everyone else and we set off to follow the tracks. We came back upon the cave we had found last night and the prints led right into it.

At first, we didn't think anything was wrong, perhaps Dalin had tamed a wolf, as he was adept with such arts, and decided to get an early start on exploring. But as we entered, the smell of blood was apparent, and everyone began to worry. I suppose I was the most worried of all, he was my younger brother, my only sibling.

We all split up to search the large cave, the tunnels winding back into darkness. Magic was not an uncommon thing, it was something most of us learned by our talking years. Watching the balls of light float away, I felt uneasy.

Several hours later, we met up at the mouth of the cave, two people short. Rekan and Marisila had gone through an eastern tunnel. DelGar, a huge ogre, suggested looking for them, and my stomach churned.

As we peered into the small opening, it seemed darker than any other tunnel and more frightening. Summoning a ball of light, we ventured forth. We walked for what seemed like hours into the mountain when I stepped in something. As my white sandal turned a deep red, I began to shiver violently, knowing whom this blood had belonged to. At the end of a tunnel was a small cave, there we found four corpses, Dalin, Rekan and Marisila and some sort of beast. A tall young man leaned against the smooth cave wall. He nodded in our direction, and spoke.

"I didn't get here in time to save your friends, I'm sorry."

I fell to my knees and let out a wail as I began to cry for my brother and friends. Perhaps it was my sorrow that brought her.

"Do not cry young one," Rhian said, her voice was like the twinkling of the stars.

She helped me to my feet and turned to look at DelGar.

She sighed and said, "My son has tainted this creation." She glanced over at the man leaning against the wall and he smirked. "I wish to make a balance."

She lifted her arms and my brother and friends stood up as if nothing had happened. Walking over to DelGar and I, she began to shimmer with a golden aura and kissed both of us on the forehead. We in turn began to shimmer and I turned into a giant white wolf and DelGar shifted into a large brown bear.

Rhian stood smiling at me and I thought at the time that it was merely my imagination, but she whispered, "I have plans for you my dear."

Months later I met a man, Tharin, and fell hopelessly in love. We married and less than a year later I was with child. Two girls were born, both carrying the were gene. My children passed on my gene to their children, in some it lay dormant, in others it did not. Mingling with other races, the gene spread.