Grace and Choice- Tane's Story- Part 1

Tane Chrissali was straight. <3 Bailey  I was fourteen when the war reached the edge of our land, but my father says that the threat hung over us for much longer than that. He told me tales of the angels and their cruelty, but I never thought that they would come this far to gain power. Not until that day, anyway, and I remember it perfectly.
    I was jogging through the woods, easily enough to keep an eye on the hoof prints littering the wet dirt below my feet, but fast enough to stay close behind my prey. I looked up and smiled as I realized how close the creature I was hunting was to my homemade trap. What would Jaden think when he saw me trap my first catch! I reached for the hunting knife I kept at my waist and pulled it from its thin leather sheath, then burst through a wall of tree limbs into the clearing where I'd set up the trap. I was surprised and disappointed when I saw that it wasn't a deer in my trap; it was a young satyr girl. Her left hoof was caught in a tight knot of rope while the rest of her body was under a tangle of net. Her hands pulled at the rope, but she stopped when she saw me. Her eyes landed on the knife in my hand, and she bit her lip and fearfully pressed her back against the large rock I'd arranged my trap along. Then-
     "You moron."
I turned as my older brother pushed his way through the brush, knocking me gently on the head as he past me. "You followed the wrong prints."
    "What?" I asked. "But you said hooves were-"
    "A satyr's hoof has a deeper, slimmer groove than a deer's. You have to remember that when hunting."
He reached the young satyr girl and gently cut her free from the netting and rope. She looked at me warily, then cast him a grateful nod before disappearing into the trees.
    I kept my eyes on my mud-coated boots as my brother walked towards me. "Sorry," I said simply. I heard him chuckle and he tussled my shaggy black hair. "Don't fret, little brother," he joked, "it was a well-set trap.'
I smiled up at him and he draped his arm across my shoulders. Then he looked up as a strong wind shifted the air around us.
    "Jaden?" I asked, "What is it?"
His eyes were on the sky. I followed his gaze and saw a deer <3 Mary dark shape resembling a flock of birds. They began to descend.
    "Brother?"
He put a hand on my shoulder and shoved me toward the edge of the clearing. "Get back to the house, Tane."
    "But-"
I watched him draw the long sword he had strapped across his back. My breath caught as I saw this. I'd only ever known my brother to unsheathe that sword when he thought he was in danger. He turned and looked at me. "Go, Tane."
      I ducked under the shade of the trees and sprinted towards our home. What could be coming at us now? And why would they come after our village? We were far from a pretentious threat. My breathing became ragged as I ran as fast as I could, my only thoughts being on the command my brother gave me. Get home, warn the villagers, and try to keep our family safe. I stopped suddenly as a dark shadow ran along the branches arching above me. I drew my knife. The branches rustled and leaves showered over me, then a large creature came through the limbs and landed in front of me. I knew what it was at once. The large white-feathered wings proved it's being. But the rest was like nothing I had imagined. When my father described them to me, I pictured them to be dark, evil creatures, the kind that you would know by how they looked that they were cruel. But this was not how I imagined them.
      This was a male soldier, and it pained me to say he looked almost human. His face was long, with a pointed chin, bare, not even a hint of stubble. Thin lips were set under a ski-slope nose, which rested between two piercing green eyes. Long locks of golden blond hair hung in wavy curls around his forehead. His ears seemed almost pointed, not unlike an elf's. He looked down, probably because he was a good three feet taller than I. Then I knew what my father had told me wasn't a lie. The angel's eyes were filled with pure hatred. It had a long weapon in its left hand, almost like a spear but with four tips arranged in a diamond shape set at the end. He gripped the shaft with both hands and raised it to strike me down. I held up my arms in retaliation, but was pulled aside and shoved to the ground. I shut my eyes and held my breath, waiting for death to take me. Then I felt a hand on my arm, pulling me to my knees. I opened my eyes.
     "Come on!" My brother urged, tugging at my forearm. I looked on the ground and snatched up my knife before I let him pull me to my feet. I then followed my brothers gaze to the same angel as before, but this time it was lying on its side, blood pouring from a wound in its chest. I looked at my brother and noticed that the tip of his sword was also red with blood.
The angel moved a little, showing that he was still alive. Then he fixed a glare on my brother and I.
     "Filthy...Wellborns," he spat.
My brothers grip tightened on my shoulder, and when I looked at his hand, I saw that his knuckles were white.
    "Why are you attacking our village?" Jaden asked.
The angel said nothing at first, then looked at me and held my gaze. "The end is coming. Only one of us can survive, so Gladren is getting a head start."
     "Why Hynix? We're not a threat to angels."
     The angel stopped speaking then, and instead looked down at his chest, where the torn skin was beginning to mend itself. My brother swore and raised his sword, but not before turning me away. I heard a sickening crunch and was suddenly grateful for the mercy my brother had displayed by making me turn my back.
     "Come on," he said then, "There are more. We have to get back to the village."