Div(EYE)ded

Chapter Three

Pauper quickly grew spoiled as he fattened up on large frequent meals of goat's milk and slept most of the days. His amber and blond ribbing spread as his fur stretched to compensate for his blubber.

The self-crowned rascal perched on the rafters of Iaso's home and found pleasure in pestering her by swatting her hanging herbs; he also enjoyed following the middle aged woman about and tugging on her apron strings. Hrooma would also be tormented by the coon as he stalked and pounced on her floor length braids.

Much to Lyra's protest she eventually gave in and allowed the bratty prince to ride around balanced on her spine. She was a sturdy and fast chariot that Pauper loved to take advantage of.

The children running about bribed the furry royal with sweets and meaty bits from their meals, enticing him to play with them. Pauper also enjoyed it when they would rub his cream dyed belly his soft fur tickled at the small fingertips as the orphans complied. He behaved an awful lot like a cat and was treated as such in the small town. The groomed raccoon became a mascot of sorts for the Sirens; endearing himself into the hearts of just about anyone he encountered.

Curious people traveled the long distance from the city to meet the fat scoundrel as they ran errands and purchased goods from the Sirens. He was good for business.

Life went by for everyone uneventful after Pauper and Lyra's arrival to the camp. As she aged, Ania would watch the orphans be adopted into the city's society with open acceptance. She was envious of them because she was never allowed near the large walled complex. Even the children that weren't taken in by families would eventually live their adult lives inside the Lunar City.

At some point through the years there was a gap in which Ania was the only remaining child living inside the Siren's camp. She was thirteen when this anomaly occurred and as such the woman treated her as if she were already an adult. They saw no harm in her freedom of the environment since she had an eldyr wolf to protect her; just as long as she never tried to enter or go near the city.

The woman had made a strong effort of hiding the large beast's existence from the posh visitors. It was driven out of fear for what might come of themselves if the other society believed that they could control eldyr animals as well as the banshees. Some did find it odd the connection Ania and Lyra seemed to possess. This trait was included into the other 'demon' qualities the girl lived with. She was untouched by banshees, saw through lavender eyes, and spoke unabashedly with a blind, two tailed eldyr wolf. Not only did she converse with the pup but it appeared that communications went both ways; all the more reason for the Sirens to abstain from developing any strong relations with the daughter of rumors.

Ania was no longer bothered by the women's behavior since she now had a sister and companion that traveled with her everywhere. The two continued to venture in the Midnight Forest and strengthened their bond and hunting skills whilst they aged, approaching young adulthood.

It was fulfilling to the huntress to be seen useful to more than her mother as she brought in an overabundance of meat for the ladies to eat. Other functional products came from the carcasses carried in on Lyra's broad back; leather and tools would be created and bartered between residents of the camp and city. Life finally grew exciting again on one journey through the woods for deer and elk to slay.

Mid-morning was just peeking through the cracks betwixt the leaves in the highest branches as Ania and Lyra raced about the sable trees. Their competitive natures drove them deeper into the dark woodland area. Eventually muscles yearned for rest and they slowed their pace immensely; pausing in a small empty grove they had yet to encounter in their travels. One massive fallen tree occupied a corner of the dank space. Dark moss cascaded over the round contours of the toppled barrier, aging it substantially.