Flesh Wounds

PROLOGUE

"Fuck"

The shushed voice cursed at the prick of her finger, habitually bringing it to her mouth and sucking off the dot of blood, glaring at the plant before her she let out a huge sigh. The female stared at the large plant before analyzing its height and width; she needed to uproot it if she wanted to take it home, which was proving to be quite difficult. With another heavy sigh she allowed herself to fall back and lay on the dried up earth beneath her. When the woman's hood slipped back her eyes instantly closed as the sun immediately hit her face. This season seemed to be warmer than the last, her skin started to feel a small sting before she sat up quickly grabbing the basket beside her and heading back to the group feeling defeated. Stepping into the shade of the makeshift fort she dropped the basket once again and collapsed into the closest chair heaving out an irritated groan.

"Trying to overcome the cacti again, Zarria?" it was a semi humorous tone that came from the entrance to the fort but it was in a teasing and familial tone nonetheless. Peeking open one eye Zarria glanced over at the figure the voice came from and let out another groan as the person dropped their own cloth and to her dislike, her older sister appeared.

"You don't understand, Cecilia . You and everyone else have no issues harvesting the yearly cacti during the hottest time of the season! I on the other hand cannot uproot a younger one without it tearing up my skin and the sun searing my flesh!" As Cecilia walked closer she sat up and focused her gaze on her older sibling .

Other than their similar dark auburn hair, the siblings look nothing alike. Cecilia was five years older than Zarria, yet Zarria had surpassed her in height and overall size by the time she was twelve. As a matter of fact she outgrew the entire clan's female population and towered most of the males as well. While all of the females from the Arourial clan were small in size and ethereal in looks, Zarria was her own breed as she liked to think, taller and more muscular, she fit more in with the men. Although, she did have her feminine features, to which she praised the gods for blessing her with such assets to at least separate her from the males. Although her size was anything but delicate, her beauty was unmatched, instead of the ethereal beauty most of the women held in the clan, Zarria's mother would describe her as if the goddess of war and death had kissed her, beautiful yet deadly. She could not disagree more. Her eyes were nearly as pale as the clouds in the sky during the rain seasons, framed by dark brows, while everyone else had all sorts of different tones of brown. Although her skin was tanned from working in the sun most days, it still burned when she was out too long while the others were born dipped in the richest of color to naturally protect them from the unforgiving sun. Cecilia was no exception, her hair although wild fell perfectly around her petite frame, her eyes a darker shade than the ambers that fell from the nightly fires, and her skin as smooth and silky as the earth during the rainy season. Zarria had dissociated from the conversation her sister was trying to have as she just stared blankly at her. Fingers snapped in front of her eyes and she shook her head disregarding anything her sibling had said prior.

"It is of no use, my skin is not meant to be in the sun nor is it strong enough to withstand the devilish cacti no matter how hard I try!" Cecilia went to protest but Zarria snapped quicker, "and don't you dare say it is because I am a late bloomer like my mother insists! I am twenty seven nearing another year more and have nothing to show for it!  I should have developed my taklai by the time I was nineteen years like everyone else!"

As if on cue the sun peeked past the drapes of the fort and scanned over Cecelias body. The sudden light displayed reptile-like scales hidden under a thin sheath of skin, the taklai, a protective layer the desert dwellers had developed to aid in their chosen lifestyle. Such a subtle display of a hidden form it could slip past you if one was not paying attention. The sudden display of her sisters matured scales, wide eyes, and overall divine feminine beauty had Zarria standing suddenly and sulking like a child.