Xaine and Maez moved closer to the circle gathered around the fire and found good seats to listen in to the stories told by Marin. There was a small group of mostly youth and a couple of adults already listening intently to his one of tales. It wasn’t unusual that most of the people there were younger, especially at this time of day. The day was nearly gone and much of the light was diminishing. The fire was beginning to...

Um well hello I suppose. My name is Xaine as you probably already know if you're reading this I guess. I've never written my own record before but, as I am approaching my seventeenth birthday, my father Barrek gave me this book and said that it was time I started. You see I am a human and we humans value our ancestry very highly. We believe it is our duty to record our lives for the benefit of future generations so that t...

The snow fell hard for days making it impossible to hunt and the food supply was running low. The cold weather was hardest on the pups as Nurse wouldn't let them outside the den for fear they would get lost or become sick. I watched as the pups become depressed and aggressive towards the rest of the pack. I snapped and growled at the pups until they fell in line and settled down. Since the weather was cold we didn't have...

I let out a happy yelp and rushed over to Tank, only to come to a stop short of reaching him. He was limping badly and his leg was bleeding. I wasn't sure if he would be aggressive towards me, so I lowered myself to the ground and slowly belly crawled my way to him and whimpered. He snorted and panted before dropping to the ground himself. There was a hole in his front left leg and it reeked of human. He had been attacked...

Doran awoke early and didn’t hesitate. He sat up, swung his legs over the side of his bed, and stood. Doran was a farmer and years of experience had taught him that procrastinating was not good for anyone. He knew he had plenty of work ahead of him and whether he was tired or not, he had to get up and get to it. He had a very important part to play in his society and he knew the people needed the food and livestock he rai...

From The Files Of Jack Vine A Jack And The Giant P I Case File Somewhere This Side Of The Rainbow “There’s no place like home, there’s no place like home, there’s no place like home…” It was Saturday, the day of Gladice and Jack’s wedding. Mary and me were given the dubious honors of ‘Maid of Honor’ and ‘Best Man’ by the two happy lovebirds and thus standing by their sides. Jack, I could see, was quite dashing in his blac...

Tell me a story. Tell me something new. I want to learn from someone I don't know. I'll sit here and wait, while you spin your yarn. Go ahead and surprise me with a tale from afar. A damsel in a dress saving a knight in shining armor. Perhaps a distant world found by a great explorer. Bring some excitement with a tale of adventure. One where the journey is the greatest treasure. Confuse me now with a tale of mystery, wher...

I woke to the smell of rabbit under my nose with the slight hint of Gash. Sigh. I knew she would start sucking up to me but I didn't think it would be this soon. By my guess she thought sucking up to me would lessen her punishment, but she was dead wrong. But since I didn't eat last night I ate now, growling the whole time to let Gash know that I still wasn't impressed with her. As I munched on my rabbit I was thinking ab...

We stayed in the wooded area just behind the human village and watched how they interacted with each other and the animals in their care. We hunted in small groups of two or three and kept the pack fed. I could sense Shaggy was unhappy. He spent many hours with his head hung low but would be poised and proper when his humans were around. It was sad to watch. The first night we were there, Shaggy made the mistake of howlin...

2 THE INQUIRY Rorbel emerged from the wooden carriage and immediately stood tall, revealing no signs of fatigue, frustration, or fear. Even though what lay in front of him had unconsciously widened the eyes and lowered the jaws of many a soldier; this was Rorbel’s fourth visit to the royal palace grounds. Still, no matter how many times his eyes had taken in the awe-inspiring sight of Vandaria’s capitol, hiding his amazem...

As I lay on my side, I wondered why I was still alive... Sandi had had me in a death grip which should have ended my life and yet I could still hear and smell everything around me. I moved my front paws and by some miracle they moved even if ever slightly. Sandi's howling was getting on my nerves so much that I gathered all my remaining strength and what was left of my energy and flung myself up and latched onto his throa...

To those who would know, yet would not want to know. To see what one does not want to see. Hear what they don’t want to hear. During the future or in the past? What is true desire? When does difference become the same? When does it repeat? When did it first draw breath? Creation is always forgotten. Wondrous during its infancy. Adored and then finally forgotten. Time dilutes. Now and then become the same. And yet human be...

We headed out just before dawn and kept it at a steady walk for Gash's sake. She kept up well and didn't whine when she started limping. I knew we needed to rest and slowed everyone to a slow walk until I found a shaded lake. We all drank and laid under a tree, the sun had come up fast and was suddenly very warm. It was strange because the week before had been so cold signaling the coming winter. But I was thankful the we...

I could smell the peculiar saltiness of the sea and the waves were audible to me. My eyes fluttered open to the bright blue sky and I had to shut them back quickly due to the scorching sunlight. After a few seconds, I managed to open them again and sat up. While I was feeling the sand beneath me, my eyes adjusted to the surroundings. I was on a seashore, which was unfamiliar to me. Clear water, waves splashing, big brown...

I woke and looked over at the wounded wolf and huffed - she was still alive. I didn't realize I had fallen asleep at the far wall of the cave; I must have been pacing and sat down for a minute and that was when I fell asleep. I walked over to her and she seemed somewhat happy to see me. She raised her head and whimpered. I cocked my head and touched my nose to hers, she then laid back down and slept once again. I snorted,...