I used to walk those paths, just like everyone else in Forestria. The city was beautiful, there were countless buildings in the trees, sometimes even up in the branches. I used to live a pleasant life there with my cat, even though every time I’d put him back in the house he’d just run outside again. Just like usual. Until that day.. The day our city was crushed by humans.

Everyone went about their business, just like usual. Kits were playing in the trees while parents were tidying up the house. Then, a deafening noise. Everyone looked in that direction, and there they were. Men carrying those deadly weapons they call ‘guns’, as well as a dead body laying at their feet. “Showtime, boys!” shouted their “leader”, a big bulky man who looks as if he wrestled with a shark. His face twisted into a gruesome smile.

Just after his command, countless guns fired, and with them, dozens of people collapsed to the ground. From there, human blood spilled on our grounds with every raging blow, whether it was from a sword or just simple punch to the face, every hit we would land, it seemed like ten would fall. It was clear they were trying to take over the Caite’s territory from there, for they took many as captives, but too many were killed. I was one of the few to escape the captivity. No doubt I will hunt down those men and get revenge for what they did to my home, and they will get the equal of what they did to us.

The forest seemed empty. The only sound was the rustling of leaves. No matter how far I walked, I never found anything but more leaves or an occasional rabbit. Those were practically my only source of food. I was tired and I barely was ever able to get any sleep at night. I’d have to sleep with one eye open just to make sure nothing was going to try and ambush me.

I lay down, drained from today’s endless walk. I put my hand to my side, feeling the dagger I stole from the human encampment. I still don’t understand why they make us work for them, just barely keeping us alive. “Why do they do this?” I mumble softly to myself. Soon enough, the Caites will be involved in a full out war. I have to get my revenge, for the good of all my kind.

I spent too much time thinking. Humans found me. “Surrender and we’ll take you back, Sakuya Karua.” Said the skinny, short guy. All I could say was he was the ugliest I’ve seen. Almost immediately after, I shouted, “And why should I listen to you, huh? After you enslaved us for your campaign to try and take over the Caites? After all the innocents you’ve slaughtered?” I stabbed him in the side. The men behind him charged at me. “So, you want some of it, too?” I shout at the soldiers. All of them have a weak spot in their armor. The neck. I run at them, all fury and rage.

I slice one of their necks as another attempts to stab me with his polearm. I use the soldier I killed as a springboard and stab the next one right through his throat. Stupid humans. Then, a bullet hits my back. “God bless it, they’ve called for reinforcements.”

My adrenaline spikes and I fight off a few but then the pain surges through my back… Even if I die here, it won’t be the end… or will it? No. I can’t die. Not here. Not now. I keep going, trying to survive. “It’s life or death! I will kill every last one of you fiends, even if I die!” There aren’t many left. All I have to do is get the gunner, the two lancers, and the captain, then I’ll be done... but I fall forward. Am I dying? I hear fighting, the captain shouting orders, and… I smell blood. Human blood.

“Come with me, before more come,” said an unfamiliar voice. I listen, seeking help for the bullet wound. Standing up was harder than I thought it would be, but this person helped me. They surely didn’t small like a caite, but human? No, it’s impossible. “Just rest and I’ll bring you to camp.” Camp. I try to struggle free, but I don’t have the energy. Instead, everything goes dark.

I wake up in a white bed, strange light making it brighter and destroying my eyes. Weird tannish bandages cover my upper arm and shoulder blade. I see a bloody bullet on the table next to me, and a  human sitting at the computer. I knew it. I was back at the camp where I first started.”Oh! Doctor, look at this!” yells the person at the computer. A Caite walks into the room. A Caite? I look again, and smell the air. Yup, he’s a Caite. I am completely surprised. He also seems completely healthy, unlike any Caites at the camp. “Looks like we have another survivor of Forestria. How many others are there out there?”

“From what we’re seeing, there might be three or four in the mountains. They look like they might be good enough to suit the raiding party.”

“Raiding party?”

I try to ignore the voices but it is practically impossible. “Haven’t  you heard from the boss? He said that they’ll send a party to raid the encampment.” Raid the encampment? So I guess this isn’t the camp I was thinking about. “I’ve also heard that they want her-” The woman signals at me. “-in the raiding party, but we’ll need to find a magic user if she wants to fight. If the rumors are right about them being sent out in a week, then her wounds won’t heal in time.”

I speak up. “If you can just get me a cast I am completely capable of fighting.” I tried to sit up but pain jolted through my arm and back. “You need to rest, Sakuya!” yells the doctor. I sigh quietly. Will I ever get a chance for revenge? It isn’t like I want to stay here, anyway.

It felt like weeks until the next day rolled around. The doctor put some sort of numbing medicine onto my wound, even though it didn’t seem to help. All I could think was about what I heard from yesterday. I need to get into that raiding party, even if they don’t think I can fight. All I need to do is get out of this room and talk to the leader of this camp. Then, maybe, just maybe, I can get into that party. Easy, right?

The answer is no. The woman never leaves the room, and my shoulder hurts too much to be stealthy. Plus, wires are attached to me which restrict how much I can move without the beeping changing. I need to find a way out of here without pulling any attention… If only she would just leave. That would be nice. Without thinking, I told her, “ If you care so much about those survivors, maybe you should just go save them yourself. You can fight, right?” Humans are too easily persuaded.

I got out of bed, ignoring the sting. The beeping on the monitor stopped and just made some kind of ringing noise when I left the bed. I thought that the room was some sort of small tent, but turns out they made this huge tent into a maze to get out of. It took me a while, especially with my ruined shoulder. Maybe there are people who use magic. Maybe there aren’t. It doesn’t matter, though. I will get out of here. I won’t leave those humans thinking they can just destroy a city and get away with it, for killing too many innocents to count. For destroying what many called their home.

It felt like hours until I finally got out of there. The light of outside practically burned my eyes. Not only did it seem amazingly bright outside, but it seemed like there was chaos. People were fighting, and others were shouting orders. “You, take the left flank!” I turn to someone in my face. “Umm.. Yessir.” I run over to where he directed me and guess what I found: Humans. Trying to invade the camp. One handed, I grab the closest weapon to me and try to stab one with the back of a gun. That wasn’t very helpful. He shriveled away then came back at me with a painful blow from his spearhead. I finally got the gun to work and shot him. Three times. Others tried to swarm me, but the officer came in and cleared a few out. “Get your dagger. It’s in my tent.” I decided to listen, only because he was giving me the weapon I actually knew how to use. I ran back out, and saw that we were being overrun. ‘Think… Think…” I came up with some crazy idea to run into the mob and stab everyone I see. As if it would work. I ran into a flood of people, slashing wildly. All I could do was pray I didn’t kill myself. It felt like hours had passed before their forces withdrew.

We won the battle, but there were many casualties. Even one of the nurses died, and the humans destroyed a quarter of our weapon stock. It feels impossible that I managed to survive, especially with my crazy ideas. “We have won this battle, but there will be much more bloodshed than needed if we don’t put and end to this treachery. Our ranks may have shrunken, but I believe that we can make a swift recovery. It is almost our time to strike back. This war has only just begun.” He’s right. We have a war to fight. Although, that doesn’t mean that I cannot get my revenge. I have only started, and soon enough, humans will know what it means to feel pain.