Varsa woke up in the early morning. She could hear the birds chirping outside of the tent. They sounded off, distant and distorted. The air had a weird smell and taste to it. She didn't think anything of it, they were in a new location.

Her mind kept wandering to where she was right now. She shook her head, Cache made it hard to forget that he was there. The bed hog took up the whole tent and filled it with his snores. It hadn't been all bad, though. She touched her arm where he had placed his hand last night.

She didn't understand why, but he had tried to comfort her. He was a prick of the highest degree, and there he was trying to console her in his own way. Varsa groaned and pulled her blanket over her head. He was a spoiled brat, nothing more. Cache just wanted to be on her good side so she would do all the work while he collected the praise.

The air around her was thick with fog. She sat up and quickly left the tent, being as careful as she could to not wake up Cache. Stepping out into the open forest, she stretched. Varsa groaned as her bones cracked and popped. Cache wasn't lying when he said he slept alone. She could tell by how much space he took up last night.

She took in the white fog as it swirled around her. Varsa took her braid out to redo it when she heard a noise behind her. Her long hair fell in her face as she turned to look.

A small Tek'arcian stood next to the tent. His red hair fell into his large black eyes. Varsa let out a small gasp as she took in the button nose, scrunched up by his mischievous smile.

"Play with me, Varsa!" He giggled and ran off into the trees.

"Latvis! Come back!" Varsa yelled running after him as tears filled her eyes. "Don't... don't go!" Her voice cracked as she charged through the low hanging branches and thick bushes. She didn't stop as they smacked her in the face and arms. "Latvis!" She yelled out again as his laughter filtered through the trees.

Her heart pounded in her chest as she slid to a stop, looking for her brother. It had to be a trick. He couldn't be here. He... she shook her head. She wasn't going to question it. If the Thalores saw fit to give him back, she wasn't going to say no.

"Latvis!"

The forest had grown quiet as she turned on her feet, widely looking in every direction she could to find him. Her long, wavy hair fell in her face when she turned. She raced off, stumbling back into the camp. Her mind struggled to think straight. The fog made everything look hazy. It was hard to breathe. Varsa trudged forward, her mind consumed with finding her brother.

"Lat-"

She was thrown into a tree with a strong hand wrapped around her neck. She clawed at it, gasping for air as her legs kicked out at her attacker. Varsa blinked back tears, she took in the pure hatred that radiated from a pair of golden-yellow eyes. Cache snarled at her as he pulled his sword out of the sheath on his hip.

"Cache-" She choked out. He placed the tip of the sword on her chest.

Varsa kicked out as hard as she could, this time connecting with his stomach. Cache dropped both her and the sword, grabbing ahold of his stomach. She crashed to the ground, coughing. Her hand rubbed the sore skin around her neck. She tackled Cache, rolling them away from his sword.

They stopped, Cache on top, his face contorted in pain and anger. Varsa struggled to get out from under him as the sound of her brother's sweet laughter filled the air. Her hand gripped a large stone.

"Varsa! Come get me!" Latvis called out between the trees.

The fog draped around Cache and Varsa, holding them close in its twisted white grasp. Cache pulled a dagger out from his right boot.

"I've come prepared this time, brother," Cache yelled out between gritted teeth.

"I'm not your brother!" Varsa yelled, bringing the rock to his temple.

Cache's eyes rolled into the back of his head. His body fell limp to the side of Varsa.

She stood, her body shook like a leaf barely holding onto its tree branch. She kicked his knife away and dashed back into the woods. Her brother was out there, she was sure of it.

Varsa's legs grew heavy, crashing through the underbrush. Her bare feet drummed on the damp ground. She needed to get to her brother. He had been sick, he shouldn't be outside when it was damp out.

"Latvis!" She screamed at the top of her lungs. Electricity crackled in her veins and kicked her heart into overdrive. "...please..." She begged, falling to her knees.

She squeezed her eyes shut as her hands balled into fists and pushed into the soft earth. Varsa couldn't take any more. Her heart pulled itself together just in time to tear itself apart again.

Varsa fell over, curling into a ball. Her world focused on a needlepoint of agony. He was there, why wasn't he letting her see him? Latvis was back from the dead, but refused to stay close to her. She needed him.

"Varsa?" His soft voice floated through the fog that spilled out of the yellow and orange flowers. "Varsa, get up."

His bare feet crunched under the fallen autumn leaves as he walked up to her, and sat down next to her. He patted her back, but it wasn't comforting. Pain seared through his touch. She let out a scream that ripped through the forest.

Ivuni's claws gripped her shoulder, the forest molded and transformed to the room that all slaves feared. Ivuni wasn't a kind man on his good days, but on his bad, Varsa and the others did everything they could to not be seen. He was a vile man and liked to take his anger out on those who weren't fast enough to escape him.

"You are a waste of space." He hissed, the whip sliced through the air, connecting with her back, slicing through her skin, and tearing through the muscle. "Your whole race is a plague on this world." He sneered at her gasps as he struck her again. "You are nothing, you will never be anything more than my little plaything." He jerked her back, his hand around her throat, so her open wounds pressed against his thigh.

Ivuni pulled her up, his breath brushed against her neck. He buried his face in her hair and took in a deep breath, his hand undid her braid. He turned her to face him. The smell of alcohol dripped like poison from his lips. His eyes wandered over her exposed skin as he licked his lips. His fingers tangled in her hair. Ivuni pulled her head back and chuckled against her throat.

"It is a shame that you are an alien." His finger traced up her midsection. "Doesn't mean I can't have a little fun, though." Ivuni pushed her backwards, onto the stained covered mattress that lay in the corner of the room.

Varsa's mugral had always tried to protect her from the life of what most Tek'arcian women turn to, to survive: prostitution. She never wanted that for her daughter as no mother should. But she still couldn't protect Varsa entirely from men's advances. Even Ivuni wasn't above making remarks and being heavy handed.

"Please...." Varsa begged curling back into a ball, covering as much of herself as she could. "Please, just kill me."

"Kill you? No dear, you must suffer for the poison you and your kind have spread across this earth. I will make you suffer."

"I... I just want to be with my brother... Please." Her voice shook, tears streamed down her face. His hands were over her. She let out a scream struggling in his arms.

"Varsa! Stop!" Cache demanded gently. "It's not real!"

Her eyes shot open, the forest rushed back into her vision. She struggled before her eyes landed on Cache. His face was bleeding on the left side of his head. His jaw was set, he huffed his way through the trees.

"You had to run so far away, didn't you?" He muttered under his breath.

Varsa's mind struggled to make sense of what was going on. She shook her head, her confusion pounded against her head. She pushed against his chest, but he tightened his grip on her.

"No! I... Let me go!" She screamed at Cache. "I... I want to go-" she sobbed, covering her face with her hands.