Her Means of Survival

'You need to run, sweetling. Run and keep your eyes on the path. Don't stop until you reach the cliff that we used to hide. Stay there for a long time and never go back, alright? Do you understand me, my sunflower? Don't look back no matter what you hear. Never,'

Pause.

'You are my moon.' and a tender smile.

'Mommy! No!' she silently screamed.

Those words were followed by a high-pitched scream of pain. A mixture of laughter and cheering, mingled with the fiery heat of the burning hut that she used to call home. The sparkles of the fire filled the night like a small version of hell. It is suffocating and maddening.

The fire crawled right into her hiding spot. It is the same place that she used to hide when she played with her brother. The biggest bush around her home.

Another scream filled the air as the fire licked its way into the bush, engulfing it into a raging inferno with her nestled inside. She is inside the burning bush watching how the men plunder her home with her mom dying on the ground. The men with their maniacal laughter grew in heaps as it overwhelmed her senses, sending her into oblivion, and there's nothing.

—

"Damn it." Tahlia quickly sat up from the wooden bed with sweat dotting the side of her temples. Sweeping her short hair up, she left the bed walking out of the dwelling she was staying, grabbing her short knife hanging on the side of the door. A gust of cold air wash upon her lean body that she gratefully welcomes.

Looking up at the vast sky, she found the moon perfectly set right where she was standing. Like a tiny source of light focusing on her and the nightmare that she kept having over and over the entirety of her life.

She combed her hair with her fingers, gently massaging her scalp as she did so. It provides her with a small relief as the cold wind circulates around the surrounding area. Though it was cold, she did not bother to return back inside her dwelling to get her coat. She enjoys the cold. It extinguishes the reminder of the nightmare that she had.

"Rain." she said in a small smile, ruffling the huge beast that suddenly appeared on her side. The furry brown mixed of a dog, and a wolf licked her hand in consolation. The animal loved the rain so much, ergo the name.

Both of them stood in silence, watching the nocturnal life scurrying around the premises of her dwelling. The distinct noise of the night-time insects can be overwhelming for some but pleasant music for her ears. Those sounds meant she is safe, away from anyone that can potentially do her harm.

Suddenly, a low growl came from Rain, a thing he usually does if there's something amiss somewhere. Alert, she quickly drew the short knife from its sheath, putting weight on her heels. Quietly, she scanned the area around the dwelling for any out-of-place sound. It might be nighttime, but she can easily make out anything in the darkness. Spending more than a decade in the rain forest made her knowledgeable about the terrain.

"What is it?" she softly asked the animal, eyes peeled on any changes among the trees. It is not a surprise for a predator to find her dwelling. Most of the time they would just walk past her home, occasionally sniffing and pawing at the shed where she kept the smoked meats.

Another responding growl, and Rain sat on her hind legs adding a petulant huff. His snout raised at the sky. This animal has a sharp sense of smell and hearing more than a regular wolf-dog. To be more precise, all the animals that you can find in this continent were more advanced than their predecessors. More savage.

She relaxed and followed the animal's movement and looked up. Right at that moment, a huge eagle appeared in the Northeastern direction. The short knife went back to its sheath as she watched the eagle descend in silence.

"Mice." She called out to the eagle, a massive bird trying to perch on the make-shift tree she made a while back. The eagle made a series of sounds, sounds that she understood in some way after raising the huge bird.

"Intruders." Was all she could say as she recognized the uneasiness on the bird's gait. She spotted a woven basket safely hanging from the overhang of the shed. Her feet moved on their own accord as she retrieved a piece of dried meat from the basket.

Tossing the meat in the bird's direction, she proceeded to go back to her dwelling to prepare. She would not be able to scout at this time of the night, so preparing for the things that she needed is the priority. Her eyes might be sharper than the rest, but they were inferior compared to the predator roaming in the area. She is knowledgeable enough to respect the creatures around her day and night.

Mice did not fly back in the night and chose to rest on the makeshift tree instead. Eagles weren't used to flying, hunting at night. However, it changed after that one deadly disaster. Everyone was forced to adapt at a rapid speed. They have to if they want to survive, humans included.

Inside her dwelling, she pulled the rucksack filled with her necessities every time she went scouting from under her wooden bed. Pulling the leather strings open, the organized contents were revealed. Her eyes were quick to scan the jar of medicines she concocted herself. The reliable flint was safely tucked in one of the pouches. A few of her trustworthy knives and some. It seems everything is inside her rucksack minus the sustenance. With swift movements, she collected some of the jerkies she cured, stored in a pot in her small kitchen. With that done, she stuffs the food in her bag. She can always gather some fruits along the way, if she needs more.

It will be a few hours more before the dawn breaks, hence, she decided to catch some shut eye. The thought of intruders unsettled her a great deal but there is nothing she can do at this time of the night. Moreover, she trusted her animals to protect the dwelling. They already proved it a couple of times through the years and vice versa.

Decided, Talon lay down on her bed with the short knife under her pillow. It was a restless sleep but it was enough to replenish her body for the scouting she had to do early in the morning. Her only hope is that the nightmare would be kept at bay.