Kal knew this place, this field. She couldn't be here; she hadn't been here in months. Not since she'd escaped. A massive forest fenced in the small training course. She'd made it to the forest's edge once, only to exit onto the field. The woman, the one who kept her here, had sealed it with magic.
The tall man she'd come to know as Jay was standing next to her explaining the rules of tonight's assessment. Every night he'd retrieve her from her cell and bring her to this place. Some nights she'd run the course, others, they'd practice fighting, but tonight was for hunting.
"Your goal is simple. There is a fugitive hiding in the forest. Find him and bring him back. Alive." Jay said.
These exercises were easy. Kal had completed them so many times before. She'd be rewarded if she did well and completed the task quickly. The few times she'd failed, the punishment was so severe she couldn't move. Even thinking about it was painful. Kal ran toward the forest. I'll finish quickly and claim my reward.
At the edge of the trees, she paused and listened. Everything was quiet. He'd probably found a good hiding spot by now. She sniffed the air, searching for his scent or the scent of fresh blood. It was easy to pick out from the other smells of the forest. He'd come near here. She followed the trail.
Kal paused. She didn't like the feeling of the damp earth under her feet. She found it distracting. The way the mud squished between her toes. The sound of the leaves pressed into the grass. She didn't understand why they had taken her shoes. In the distance, she heard a twig break. There were no animals in this forest. She headed towards the noise.
The human scent was getting closer. Kal started to run. The trees flew past her left and right, low-hanging branches brushing her naked arms. She saw him before he knew she was there. He was leaning against a tree, pressed into the trunk, trying to stay out of sight. She knew she could easily sneak up on him, and the hunt would be over. I want to chase.
She pulled back the branches covering his hiding spot. "Boo!"
He looked up. Kal was sure he'd been promised freedom if he could stay hidden. The look on his face confirmed it. His feet slipped on the grass as he struggled to his feet. Then, finally, he managed to turn and run, his shoes noisy against the damp earth. She followed.
The sound of his footsteps sounded farther and farther away. He was getting close to the wall. If he reached it, he'd be teleported away. That was no fun. She jumped into the trees, quickly overtaking him and landing silently in his path. He slid to a halt as he saw her and ran in the opposite direction, back towards the field. She herded him to the starting point like this, using her speed to redirect him until he stood a few feet away from Jay. Kal walked up, right behind him, task complete.
"Good job," Jay said.
She waited silently for orders, still excited from the chase. Running her tongue over her fangs, she hoped they'd let her have a taste. The fugitive was panting; his heart racing. The red-haired woman was here. She grabbed the man roughly around his arm and turned his face to Kal.
Kal froze; this wasn't right. The fugitive she'd retrieved was Seth, but that was impossible. He wasn't here, couldn't be here. He'd never been in this place.
"Drink." The woman ordered.
Kal hesitated only for a second. She knew what the woman would do if she didn't obey. His death would be painful. It's better this way; he won't suffer.
She embraced him gently, not wanting to cause him any more fear, hiding her face so he couldn't see the horrible monster that she was. She pressed her fangs into his neck. Kal opened her eyes and stared into the darkness of the small bedroom. It had been a dream, an incredibly vivid dream. She could still taste his blood.
---
Kal sat on the roof in their favorite spot. Devin was already waiting. She couldn't get the thoughts out of her mind—the nightmare. The look on her brother's face had been the same one as her first night home. She knew it hadn't been him. The nightmare was an amalgamation of memories from the six months before she escaped. Yet, it was still so real.
"Are you alright?" Devin's voice was soft.
She shook her head. She didn't feel alright. All the hope she'd felt a few nights ago had vanished with one bad dream.
"Sorry. I had this awful nightmare." She paused. "It was kind of a memory, but not really."
She didn't want to say it out loud. As if saying the words would somehow make it true. Devin was staring at her, waiting. She slowly stood and walked away, pacing the length of the roof. I haven't done anything, but I still feel guilty.
"I dreamt I killed my brother. It felt so real. Everything felt real." She looked down at her hands and closed her eyes.
"Kal." He said.
She didn't turn around. She wouldn't, not wanting to see the look on Devin's face. That disappointed expression he showed when she messed up.
"I understand what it's like. It was hard for me too." He placed his hands on her shoulders, offering some degree of comfort.
"How did you make it stop?" She asked.
"My family died." He said.
She turned, but he was gone. His last words echoed in the wind. His voice, which had always been so reserved, sounded full of regret.
"I killed them."