Author's Note:

Ok. This is a sample. I need to know if anyone is interested before I continue. This story is about Basta's childhood and how he became the #&! we all know and love. I'll include family and how he met Dustfinger and Capricorn and some love interests like Roxanne. Sound good? Let me know what you think!

Basta

Chapter 1

Basta woke on the day he had always celebrated his birthday. He was never sure if it actually was, his father had never told him if it was. His father ignored him most of the time but this was the day Basta's mom had always given him a little gift so he figured there was a pretty good chance it was. His mom had died when he was 7. That was 3 years ago and he was now turning 10. He crawled slowly out of bed. The light of dawn was just barely beginning to peek out from behind the night. It couldn't have been later than 5. Basta's father would be up in an hour or so… unless he'd been out late drinking or chasing skirts again. Basta slowly cleaned himself and dressed as the light of day grew stronger outside. By 7 he had done his chores and was busy making breakfast for himself when his father stalked into their small kitchen barking for food. Basta brought breakfast to him quickly… he had learned the hard way never to dawdle around his father. Basta had many pale scars running down his back from his father's anger.

"Hurry up!" Basta noticed the slight slur in the words. So his father had been out drinking. Basta had never known his fathers name; he just called him sir. (So sir is what we will call him in this story)

"Here sir." Basta shoved the clay bowl in front of his father and then sat down to eat his own still slightly steaming bowl of porridge. Sir simply grumbled in reply bolted his food and retreated back into his room. Their house was not big, an old farm house supposedly. It had just 3 rooms, the kitchen and two bedrooms, the washroom being outside. Even though it was small it served its purpose, keeping Basta out of the rain… most of the time.

Basta did not stay long after breakfast; instead he chose to walk up to the market in Ombra. The market was always full of life and excitement and he had a few coins saved maybe he would get himself a small present. As he strolled threw the crowds he noticed a fairly large group of people gathered in a circle. Pushing his was through the crowd he came to face a boy about his age. The boy had very dark skin and was performing small trick with a … a bear? Yup a bear, not a cub but no where near full grown the bear had fur just as dark as the boys skin and small eyes darker still.

Basta stood there, gazing at the pair for a good 10 minutes as they danced and toppled over each other for the amusement of the passersby. When most of the crowd had dispersed and the dark boy and bear had finished their act Basta say a second boy walk up. The two conversed quietly laughing occasionally as the bear stared around. Basta couldn't quite here the conversation but he picked up on bits and pieces of it.

"…did you think Dusty? …Good?"

"…Always wonder…you trained…"

"He's a great…"

"Oh so what am I, chopped liver?

"Worse! You're…"

"Hey!" Here the one called Dusty gave the dark boy a playful shove. The two laughed.

"Well Dustfinger, I have to get back to the troop. Come visit if the Barn Owl gives you time between your chores!"

"Sure. If I can't get away before I'll sneak out tonight… I'll see you either way! Goodbye Black!"

How Basta envied them. He had no friends. No one talked to him or joked with him like that. He'd had friends, once, but they had all be frightened away by Sir. What he wouldn't give to be like those two. Maybe they could be friends, as long as he kept them away from his father. I mean, Why not?