Rylies POV

The third test went by fast. Truly it wasn't so much of a trial as a placement test. They had me do different jobs around the camp until they had found where I best belonged. They decide the way I would would help in the camp is by cooking and looking after the children while their parents are out. Its not that I mind though, I love children and I know how to cook without burning the food. 

 I was walking with Jay, Violet, and Dakota towards my last test. they haven't explained to me what it is yet.  Violet was happily chattering away as we walked, saying everything she wants to do with me when I become one of them. I just nodded to please her. There was an oddly familiar scent in the camp but I'm not sure where I know it from so I simply brushed it off. 

"...and then you'll officially be one of us." I heard Jay just finishing a sentence. I paused a moment.

"what?"

"did you listen to anything we were saying?" Violet giggled. I blushed lightly and shook my head no, giving them a sheepish smile. 

"I was thinking," I said as if that was some kind of an explanation.

Jay chuckles at me and Dakota just looked annoyed.

"I said that the last thing you'll need to do is protect yourself. Especially if you are watching the children, you're the last defense if our guards cant stop any humans or animals posing a threat." Jay explained.

I nodded. "So, I have to fight one of you?" I guessed. 

"Nope." violet pops the P. A sort of knife made of a sharpened stone was pushed into my hand. I was pushed into a sort of arena that had been dug out. The 'walls' were just dirt of surrounding hills maybe ten feet tall. I'm guessing the hybrids had hallowed out and built up the walls, that this was not natural. The floor was hard packed dirt, just like the walls. A few ledges were in the walls, there were also some rocks of differing size spread out around the arena. What was worrying me was the sound of a creature just out of my view grunting and snuffling. 

"You get to fight an animal. They're stronger and faster than most humans." Jay explained. I had to swallow against a lump forming in my throat. Suddenly, it didn't seem like joining this clan was the best idea. I am not a fighter. I cant even hurt a mouse. 

I looked up at the three. Dakota had a sick grin etched on her face, she knew  I would never be able to win this fight. Jay seemed amused, as if this was going to bring him joy. Violet couldn't even look me in the eyes. Was this all a trick? No, they wouldn't have saved me from the river if they wanted me dead.

"Ready. Begin!" Dakota pulled the make shift door out of the pit that had been keeping the creature from me. A boar ran out, the only thing I could see was the gleam on the sharp white tusks. I noticed it was limping, a cut was by his back left leg on the tender flesh below his rib. 

"I cant fight!" I cried out in a panic as I eyed the creature, it did the same to me as if waiting for me to make so much as a move and it would charge. 

"You have to, this is the final trial!" Jay called back. 

"A true hybrid can protect herself, and can protect her clan." Dakota yelled. 

"Please Rylie, its the boar or you. Its hurt, it will attack." Violet called to me with sorrow in her voice. She didn't want me to fight, she knew I couldn't, I wouldn't. How did she possibly win a fight to get herself into the clan? It didn't make sense.

I dropped the knife, the clattering sound caused the boar to snap to its senses and charge at me. I tried to move out of the way, I was too slow. A fiery pain shot through my calf as the sharp tusks cut into my flesh. 

I cried out and attempted to climb out of the pit. The boar circled around the edge of the pit as if it too was trying to escape. I managed to get onto one of the carved out ledges and watched as the blood streamed down my leg and fell off my bare foot to the dirt below, starting to create a small puddle.

I watched the boar. It too was hurt and scared, crazed by its emotions. I felt connected to it, I felt the same. I pushed as hard as I could with my one good leg and managed to grab onto the edge of the pit. I started to pull myself up and found myself eye to eye with Dakota. 

I saw the same look as before, remembering myself clinging onto the log. Then I was falling, Dakota pushed me back to the pit. I grunted as I hit the ground hard, the wind knocked out of me. My vision was a bit blurry but I was snapped back to focus at the sound of an angry squeal. I could see the boar running at me from the corner of my eye. 

Adrenalin took over and I grabbed the rock knife beside where I lay. I brought it up, hoping the swing could catch the boar on the snout and scare it away. I heard another loud squeal from the boar, this one a squeal of pain. Warm sticky blood flowed down my arm and soaked through my shirt. Why did I feel pain if it had gotten me? I heard a thud as the boar fell. 

It took me a minute, then two, before I seemed to start breathing again. I saw the board, now laying beside me with labored breathing. I sat up, panting heavily and a ringing in my ears. The boar looked up at me and I looked at my reflection in its black eyes, the hilt of the knife sticking out from its tender throat.

I pulled my hand back as I realized I was still holding the knife. I threw the knife as far away as I could. 

'how could you,' I could practically hear the boars thoughts, speaking to my own soul, 'how could you do this to me? I was hurt, I was scared. I did nothing wrong.'

The board eyes slowly clouded over as it ceased to breath. I wanted to scream, I wanted this blood off me. How did I kill this beautiful thing. I took away a life. I was so out of it by my thoughts that I jumped a foot in the air as I felt someone place a hand on my shoulder.

I almost screamed then I realized it was just Violet hugging me. How could she touch me when I was covered in the blood of that majestic creature? The creature I just so mercilessly killed. 

"Its okay Rylie, he was going to be killed for our clans meal anyways." Violet attempted to comfort me. "if not you someone else would have killed him."

Her voice just made everything more real and I couldn't stop. I started to cry, clutching onto the hand sewn fur dress she was wearing. Violet rubbed my back, whispering something to the others who had joined us. 

Jay and Dakota grinned. They were happy, happy that I killed it. At least, I know that's all Dakota cared about.

"Youre one of us now!" Jay said. "You're a true hybrid."

I didn't feel like my true self. I didn't feel that I should celebrate. Is this what a true hybrid is?

Jay picked up the boars body and started to cut into it, peeling away the skin and collecting only the meat. "You did good Rylie."

I don't think I did good. I don't... I don't think I want to be one of them if this is what I have to do.

I want Claire. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Claire age 10

I looked around at the trees near me. My family and I were camping, not far from the river where I had originally fallen in. The only thing on my mind was the neko mother that had saved me, all those years ago. 

That's what I was doing at the moment, looking for the mother. I was starting to give up hope when I realized I was lost. "Mom!" I called for my mother but there was no reply. I sat down on the stump of an old tree. 

"Mommy!" I looked around, which way did I come from again? I should have brought my phone. "Anyone?" the sun had started to set not long ago. The stretching shadows made the forest seem scarier. 

There was a movement in the bush. I screamed as something jumped out, then saw it was just a chipmunk. The little animal chittered at me as it ran away, scared by my shouting. I couldn't help but laugh nervously at myself, I just got scared by a chipmunk. 

I tried to back track, walking the direction I think I came from and looking for anything familiar. The sun was just barely up when I finally had to rest and accept the fact I was lost. If only I could find a trail, or some way back to the campgrounds.

There was another rustling and I smiled. "Did you follow me?" I giggled, thinking it was the chipmunk. Instead a small boy wandered out, cat ears on his head. I didn't know what to do, was this one of the feral hybrids I hear about? Maybe he's nice though, maybe he's the child of the neko all those years ago. 

My questions were answered as there was a quiet chirp like sound a ways away. The boy looked up and ran off to whoever was calling him. I followed in hopes the person may be able to lead me back to the camp site. Instead I found the neko that had saved me those years ago.

She seemed to recognize me as well as she gave a soft smile. Once again, she said nothing to me. Instead, she waved me towards her. She pointed at a small stream that she and a second child had been getting a drink from, then pointed up stream. 

"Will that get me back to the campsite?" I asked her and got a nod in reply. The woman gave me a gentle pat on my head before she led her children away and they disappeared once more into the shadows. I knew id never forget that neko, and I had a feeling this would not be the last time we met.