Four - Alden

I raced back quickly to get to my small dusty home. The wind began to pick up, blowing me off my feet more then once, and causing tears to constantly run down my face as sand whipped against my face. About two miles from my village, I was once again blown off my feet, the wind beginning to twist the sand about me. My body was shaking, having grown weak from the constant fight to stand. I felt like giving up, my lungs burned and my throat was raw from all the sand I was inhaling, and I was beginning to feel like there were a thousand cut on my eyes.

I pounded my fist into the sand. If I was more like my brother this never would have happened. I choked back a few tears and glanced about. Then my eyes landed on a kind of home. I squinted to see clearer, but all I could make out in the midst of the storm was a dark tent shape in the distance. It was better than nothing, so I mustered up what strength I had left and dashed for the sanctuary I had spotted.

As I grew nearer, I noticed the Elder symbol of an eye with a mountain as a pupil on a crooked wooden sign in front of the giant tent. The home was about half the size of our town alone, and stretched wide across the area, held up by several wooden beams. Unlike our basic skins in our town, the Elder's home was made of a marbled pattern from a rare spotted species that was considered to be most noble in the Brackin territory.

Glancing behind me, I noticed the storm growing stronger and closer by the second. Taking some quick calming breathes I ran to the far side of the Elder's home. I then slid under one of the pelts, being carful to tack it back down once inside. I found myself in a small room full of wooden boxes and old furniture falling apart due to rot. I supposed I was in some kind of storage closet. I went to the nearest wall and listened for voices, but with the sound of the howling winds roaring, no other sound could be heard. I figured this was a room not ventured into regularly, so it wouldn't hurt to just check out a few of the boxes.

I slid the lid off of one of the boxes, and it was full of scrolls. Picking one of them up I unrolled it carefully. Scrawled across the long page were symbols I had not seen before and meant nothing to me. I rolled it back up and put it back. Closing the lid, I moved to another box that was more rectangular in shape. Within that box were several old scimitars, some chipped and others rusted.

I examined a few of them until I realized the sound of wind had almost vanished. I quietly placed the scimitar back and replaced the lid, just as a loud shout came from the nearby room.

"What do you mean they aren't our allies?" It was a booming noise, which I've heard command our people almost daily, our Elder Callow.

"I saw it with my eyes." The other voice seemed to hiss. "The Brackin are growing restless, you know you must be the ones to strike first if you are to win."

"I see no reason to strike at Nami when he and I are such good allies." Callow reasoned.

"It's your funeral then. Do not say Lesion did not worn you."

I dropped down to my stomach and lifted the bottom of the divider, curious as to who would try to persuade our people of all people into war. There was a long green tail before my eyes, and a cloak resting over scaled feet. Surely this was none other than the Viridi Elder, whom I had never heard of before. Around here we are told never to speak their names because they are useless to us. It was a waste of time for our people.

Callow sighed, as if in a deep pain that cannot be seen. "And you are certain of Nami's intent?"

"Oh, why would I lie about things such as this?" Lesion practically purred.

I slid back and dashed out under the tent. Our Elder Callow may not see it, but there was no doubt in my mind that our people were about to be subject to a war that would only destroy everyone but the Viridi. I always knew our people were stupid, regardless of the "scientific" discoveries. No one around here even thinks for themselves, but I have to try my best to warn them.

Three - Tristram

     I stood before my King awaiting my sentence. The audience was quiet. A crime like mine hasn't happened  for several centuries. There have been many charged with abuse or disrespect, but no Brackin has been charged with the murder of a Palkin scientist since the Great war. It was disgraceful upon our people to have sunk once again to murder, but the most disgraceful part was that I was guilty and everyone knew it. I had pleaded to King Nami to spare my life; that I had no intention of harming the Palkin, that he wounded my men's honor who I was bound to protect, but my anger got the best of me and my rock hit the head rather than the cliff wall next to him. I begged, pleaded, and groveled at the feet of the King, for my honor was already gone and it was all I could do to save my life. Now I stand, ready to take the judgment he will pass on me. I see the troops under me whose honor I had tried to protect. They had stood up for me during the trial knowing my true intentions. It seems like every Brackin in the crowd understands too, even the king. But politics with the Palkins have become messy and the King doesn't want another Great war. I must be punished to defend the honor of the Brackins as well as the national army whom I serve. The King stands. The silence feels more oppressive. Even the flies and crickets seem to grow silent to hear of my fate. King Nami looks out to the crowd. He speaks of the honor of the people, how no crime like this has been heard of in centuries. He looks at me now. "The law demands death of the guilty even for a general in our army, but I cannot kill you for that would disgrace us all. Instead you will be stripped of all honor, ranks, titles, and names. You will be henceforth banished from Brackin and Palkin land, and all Brackin will be honor bound to kill you upon sight." The silence ends now as the crowd expresses their shock. As King Nami leaves the court, two of the prison guards remove me from the stock. I make no attempt to hide my tears. My honor is gone and the king has betrayed me. He has sentenced me to a fate worse than death. Banishment.

Two - Tarka

A branch snapped above me. I opened my eyes to find that a soothing green aura was all around me. With my hands clasped together in my lap and my legs stretched out on the thick branch, I yawned and cast my sleepy gaze upward. Yep, it's true - the middle of a tree on the outskirts of the Viridi jungle is the best place to escape your life and live without a care in the world. At least for a few hours . . .

I gently swung my scaly legs over the branch again, letting my thick tail hang off the other side. Cautiously looking over my knees so as to not go plummeting 30 feet below, I checked to see if I had any visitors. Nothing. I was alone. I drew in a long intake of breath and let it out gradually. I despised being up so high. Which is ironic, because the Viridi people are by nature tree dwellers. Yet, it was the only place where no one would find me. Not that anyone would ever care to find me.

Another branch snapped to my left. I whipped my head in the direction of the sound. Even though the tops of the trees shaded me from the afternoon sun's bright rays of light, it didn't help me a lick when trying to find the cause of the breaking branch. Of course, there were the general plethora of creatures that lived in the jungle and made noises and did natural things of the sort. I just didn't want to take a chance.

I gave up trying to find who-knows-what and decided to climb down from the broad tree. Taking my sweet time, I descended finding one branch to step onto at a time, and wondered why I felt the need to go back to the village. "They don't need me," I scornfully mumbled to myself. "They think I'm worthless."

I jumped down to the jungle floor from the final branch, and I stood up shaky. You would think being born a Viridi and living in the trees would cause me to be immune to fear of heights. Maybe I wasn't scared at one point. I have my reasons, though.

It was all because of him.

A breeze caused the leaves above me to sing and sway. The jungle made its own music. For the first time in months, I turned the corners of my cheeks up towards the tree tops. Relief swept over me. Smiling was not something that came naturally to me anymore. Actually, now that I think of it, it wasn't something that came natural to ANY of my people. We're all serious. What you might call "fun" for us is using a bow and arrow and killing something . . . or someone. Enjoyment may also consist of sitting inside one of our tree huts all day, reading and writing about the philosophies and history of the great Viridi leaders before us.

Passing through the gate of the village, I also passed several of my people. They looked at me with scorn and apathy reflected off of their piercing eyes. They had recognized me. I tried to keep my head down as much as possible. I trudged back to my own tree hut that I had made for myself.

I walked through the bamboo door. The mess on the floor disgusted me. It had migrated over to my pathetic little bed and desk. "Tarka, get a grip," I scolded myself. I couldn't live like a slob forever. Even though I was a bit of a rebel, the deepest Viridi in me drove me to be a clean person. Most of the time.

Not since a few months ago.

The memory of that night fizzled in my brain like magma ready to burst through and destroy everyone. That is what I really wanted to do with my life: if I could, I would have my revenge. I will not rest or be content with life until it is done.

I went about with my usual evening activities which consisted of making myself a measly meal and eventually cleaned my one-room house. Alone.

I wouldn't be alone if it hadn't been for that slithering snake.

I changed into a large loose-fitting shirt and curled up in a ball on my cot. Like every night, I would let the burning tears come flowing with stifling sobs. Why?

In minutes, I would drift off, only to relive sweet memories that would never come again.

One - Alden

A deep lowing from the nearby cattle roused me from my heavy slumber. With one foot dangling off and my head covered by a pillow, I let out an exasperated groan. I pushed against the leather cot, letting the pillow fall onto the floor. Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I tried to gather what time of day it was. I  slid my feet onto the hardened surface of the compact ground and begrudgingly dragged myself over to a closed off window that sat within in the leather of the opposite wall. Undoing the hook, I let the flap fall down. Our houses around here aren't made of much. We each build our own out of the leather we receive from our own cattle and stand them up with poles we usually receive from trading with the Brackin. Thus, we are basically creating what almost looks like a giant tent. Each home is then sectioned off into rooms by dividers also made of leather. Needless to say, it's not very individualistic, but it's efficient enough for our Palkin culture.

Shielding my eyes from the sun, I instantly noticed it was directly above our small town, meaning it must be noon. Letting out another groan I closed the window once more, blocking out the day. As much as I wanted to ignore the day, I could already hear my mother speaking with my brother Fastus in a disappointed kind of tone. I knew it was about me, so I pulled on my tunic and my harem pants.

Stepping past the divider, I saw my parents sitting down at our low table, also made from Brackin trees, and my brother standing in his imperial armor by the door flaps. 

"Well look who wake up!" Fastus exclaimed, wrapping a muscled arm around my head, allowing him to furiously rub at my scalp. Fastus was almost twenty-two, his birthday being in the next two weeks. He works for our Elder, guarding our town and venturing out to the Brackin Territory at times with a trading squad. Like the rest of our kind he was tan from the sun and he had close cut dark hair to signify an air of authority with our people. The only difference was that my brother had a love of fitness, making him much broader than the rest of our petite race.

"Stop it!" I cried, pushing at his stomach.

"Aw, come on, brother!"

"Alden, what do you think you're doing?" My mother snapped, showering me with disappointed glares.

I tried to soothe the beast."Mom-" 

"I don't want to hear it!" Her tiny frame was just about shaking from anger. "I just don't understand why you can't be more like your brother."

I looked to my father to help me out, but all he said was, "Fastus got a special assignment today to venture out into the Brackin Territory." 

"Why do you always have to compare me to him!" I exclaimed. "I'm so sick of not being able to be myself!" I darted out the door, not even bothering to look back.

Dodging the guards of our village, I passed behind the giant cattle tent. That was where I was assigned to work, and did not stop walking. How my parents expect me to be great and powerful like Fastus when all I did was shovel cattle manure was beyond me. Of course, I didn't go to work much anyway, but that was besides the point. I found my way to my special spot. It's not much, just a giant rock, but when the desert goes on for miles finding something like this was exciting. 

I sat down with an exaughsted sigh. Crossing my feet, I looked out towards the horizon where I could make out the forest of the Viridi. I don't really know much about the Viridi. I'm not sure anyone does. Laying back against the rock I closed my eyes, trying to let the anger within me die down. My brother is a decent person, and he may even care about me more than my parents, but I can't change the fact that I am a failure because of him. I clenched my fist, allowing my chewed nails to dig into my palm.

Suddenly there was a roaring sound from across the desert. I sat up quickly and saw what I knew to be the beginning of a sandstorm. From the looks of it, it looked like it would be a big one. I quickly jumped from my rock, taking one last glance at the neighboring forest, wishing I could go anywhere but home, and took off for the dreaded town once more.