Vinca

I awoke to my Grandma's shuffling and grumbling. I groaned, pushing the blanket off of me before forcing myself to get up. I stumbled into the kitchen, in the midst of a yawn.

" About time you woke up," She muttered, and I rolled my eyes, knowing that even in her grumpiness and rudeness, she meant well. She was the only family I had. My brother Olin was sent to war, while my dad and mother died when I was 2.

I plopped down on one of the four burgundy pillows that surrounded a small chestwood table, " Good-morning to you, too." I smiled, my voice enthusiastic.

"Eh," Grandma grunted, moving around a big pot, " Nothing is ever good about mornings now-a-days." She threw in some sweet smelling spices, and my stomach audibly rumbled. I felt a blush coming on, and I quickly got up, moving over to the pot.

" Oh, don't be so negative, Gram. " I exclaimed, standing beside her now and looking into the cauldron, " What are you making? It smells delicious. " I breathed in the smell, and she ushered me away.

" The pigdog you caught the other day. Now, leave me to my cooking. " she grumbled, and I smiled, walking over to look for a cup and ingredients to make tea.

I went hunting almost daily - even if it was illegal. I had caught the pigdog yesterday, but I didn't expect her to actually cook it. Pigdogs were a specialty, and I thought she was going to sell it to the butcher.

" I'm going to hunt, " I told her. My as well go when it's on my mind. And mornings were the best to go anyways - sometimes it took hours to get something. Grandma nodded. She knew it was illegal, but we needed to eat, didn't we? Forgetting about the tea, and I walked outside, closing the door behind me gently. It was nearly off of it's hinges. I would have to fix that.

I looked around, running my fingers through my dirty blonde hair. My stomach roared again, and I involuntarily covered it. I didn't eat breakfast. Or dinner. Come to think of it, I didn't even eat lunch. But eating a meal a day was a luxury that Grandma and I didn't have. Like I said before, sometimes you caught something while hunting, other times you

didn't. The animals in this Earth Kingdom village woods were scarce. That's why catching that pigdog was a big achievement.

I smiled to myself as I walked through the streets of my village - it was large, and much nicer than most - but not even near to being like Be Seing Se. It was rimming with poverty, and whenever I passed by homeless and beggers, I knew how lucky I was to have a home and a meal once and a while.

About a half an hour later, I arrived at the boundary of the village. I cautiously looked around for any guards - it was rare when there actually was some - and continued into the woods.

It was a short walk to were I kept my spear. I winced as I picked it up. I hated it ; hated that I made it ; hated that I killed with it. It felt.. Wrong. But I couldn't let Grandma starve, and with a sigh, I went eastward, looking for something edible.

It was late in the evening when I finished, managing to capture a chip squirrel and finding some robin jay eggs. Those were a special treat, and I carried them with much care as I hurried through the streets.

It was getting much late, and I saw less and less people as I rushed home. I was praying that I wouldn't get caught for breaking curfew. I could just consider myself dead.

" What are you doing our here? " A rough voice yelled, startling me. I have to get home..

The two fire nation soldiers crept forward, and slowed to a stop, backing up. " N-nothing, sir. " I murmured, swallowing. I did my best to hid the burlap sack that carried my kills in it. There was that word again, 'kills'. I grimaced inwardly.

Thankfully, they didn't notice.

Instead, " It's passed curfew. "

Shit, I sighed, cursing myself for letting time slip by while hunting, I could've made it home!

" That is punishable. By death. " A pudgy, ugly looking one said. And they both stepped closer. " However, we can let you go for a small price. "

I looked down at their polished black boots, my reflection dancing in them vaguely. " I d-don't have any money. " I shrunk backwards, but suddenly, they started laughing loudly. What the hell?

" I don't want money. " Before I could even react, or even think, I was on my knees, being dragged into the alley behind us. All this time ; here was I, stupidly thinking what they were going to do. Beat me with stones to death? Burn me to death? Thoughts buzzed through my mind before I realized.

Shit.

I then flew up into a standing position, faster that I could even think I could move. Anger steamed from me like a pot of boiling tea. As I turned to face the men, or should I say 'rapists', they were clearly startled at my sudden movement.

I screamed in fury, my rage becoming uncontrollable. These rapists, perverts, idiot pedophiles do this everyday. Not realizing what I was doing, my hand moved diagonally, and I felt a wonderful rush that took my breath away. Suddenly, the men blew backwards, leaving me standing there, confused.

Tongues of fire whipped at me furiously, scorching my clothes. I took of running, feeling numb as I pushed passed Grandma, ignoring her speech on how 'damn freaking worried she was'. Shaking uncontrollably, I slipped into a dark, unwelcoming slumber.