The bickering had gone on for a while. The air was filled with a multilayered choral performance of four children, each with their own grievance against each other. The hapless mother shook her head as she continued to speak with an artisan, trying to be heard over the rowdy children.

"Why don't you all go see the temple?" the beleaguered mother asked, tacking on a smile to try and hide her vexation. This got a chorus of excitement from three of her four children. But the youngest just sat stubbornly by a small wooden table, dropping a marble onto a wooden track, and watching it roll down the tiered contraption until it reached its conclusion, then the young girl would drop the next marble from a nearby cup.

"Come on, either we all go, or none of us go!" asserted the most rotund of the group, although they were all hale, hardy, and stout children. The youngest, a barrel chested little girl without so much as a nub poking out from her straight hair, shook her head.

"I need to do this three more times!" she insisted obstinately. The other children stamped their cloven hooves.

"Why three?" the oldest asked, her small horns barely peeking out from her curly dark hair.

"Because I need to make a rainbow! I can't leave with an incomplete rainbow!" the youngest Caprian insisted. She had sent red, orange, and yellow glass baubles through, and they lined up neatly in a row in the catch bowl. Settled on her task, she dropped a green marble through.

"Come on, let's just go..." her brother said to the older two. They all nodded and agreed. But the youngest was so very focused, she didn't even notice. Her mother had meanwhile moved on to another stall, but was within view. Once the rainbow was complete, the youngest gazed down at it, proud at herself for knowing the correct order, because being correct was so very important. "Light becomes the rainbow!" Her tuft of a tail wagged with pleasure beneath her full skirt.

However, she looked around and noticed her older siblings were absent. Raising her shoulders and stooping her head forward, she slunk over to where her mother was, grabbing for her hand. Her mother gave her an reflexive squeeze, but continued in a heated negotiation over some goods. "Mother, mother, I made a rainbow!"

"Wonderful, Liata," her mother quickly said, and in the same breath continued to haggle with the vendor. Liata gave her mother's arm a tug and her mother let go. She spared her daughter only a quick glance. "Go find your siblings and play with them for a while."

"But..."

"Go now," her mother insisted. Silenced by the wall of adult concerns, Liata pouted and walked away. But where were they? Surely, they went to the temple. So Liata set off, going as fast as her stumpy goat legs would carry her.

The temple grounds were immaculately maintained, with verdant lawns and rows of manicured flower beds all around. The structure itself was blocky and not terribly impressive to Liata's untrained eye. Where were the spires and statues? Where were the glistening walls? These stones looked a bit... green to her. Like lichen-covered rocks she'd seen by the rivers. There was no river there though. At least it was up on a hill and was almost visible against the forest that hedged it in on three sides.

Liata called timidly out for her siblings. No response. She walked around outside the fence that surrounded the temple proper, concerned that she should not pass the threshold. She knew only adults were allowed inside the temple. Only adults who were worthy. And the way she was constantly nagged, she doubted she'd qualify. Liata decided to walk around the entire perimeter, her floppy ears listening intently for the sound of her siblings' voices.

Liata made a full loop and yet her brothers and sisters were nowhere to be found. She was about to return to the market stalls to find her mother when the distinctive sound of clop-clop-squeak caught her attention. She looked down the road leading away and saw the cart she and her family had arrived in, with its squeaky wheel and ornery pair of mules. It was as if the ground rose up to slap the sky and Liata fell to her knees, staring in disbelief. Recovering herself, she began running, but could manage little more than a toddle as she called out "WAIT! STOP! DON'T LEAVE... me."

No one heard her. She kept running, following the carriage into the woods. But she could not keep up. At last they disappeared around a bend and Liato knew she couldn't catch up. The goat-legged child stood, tired and terrified. What had just happened? Was she really... alone?

Liata's mind picked over the situation, playing it over in her head on repeat. She shouldn't have finished her rainbow. But rainbows were divine! They were light divided! And who did they worship but a God of Light? It was her holy duty to know the rainbow! Then she told herself she should have stayed by her mother. But mother told her to go, and the God of Light tells children to always listen to their parents. Not that Liata listened all that often. Why was it the one time she did, she lost everything?

Everything. Tears welled up in Liata's eyes. Content to set aside the coals of guilt she was raking herself over, her thoughts turned from the past to the future. What would happen to her? Would she ever see her family again? Would she have to live in the woods like a wild person? Or would some kindly villager take her in? Or would some unkindly people take her in? Would they be cruel to her and make her do all the chores while starving her? That's what often happened to orphans and abandoned children in all of the stories. It was a requirement to be mistreated if you didn't have a family of your own. She used to fight with and wish she didn't have a family, but now she desperately wanted them back.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" she cried out loud as she began wandering aimlessly in the woods. She prayed and begged forgiveness and sought all sorts of recourse from the deity her family worshipped. Then she began to wander, lost in a woodland. While her kind were considered woodland folk, these were not her home woods, and she felt that everything there was hostile at worst and indifferent at best.

While walking along she saw a man kneeling by a rabbit snare, finishing off its captive. Hearing her approach, his erect ears swivelled and he turned his head to stare at her, his deep brown eyes and grizzled snout examining her. Seeing her tear-streaked face, he let out a disarming whimper, opening his mouth and allowing his tongue to loll to the side.

"A little young to be out in the woods all alone, aren't you?" he asked in a deep voice, rising to his full height, which was more than twice her own. Like all Lupids, he had the head of a wolf and the body of a man. Liata felt weak in her knees. She was always taught to be wary of strangers, and he was certainly strange.

"I'm... I'm not alone! My mother is nearby! Um... I'm going now!" Liata said turning and running off. The Lupid called after her to wait, and she worried he would chase her down. She ran even faster, hopping over a large branch and weaving between trees, occasionally turning so fast her other foot lost traction and she ended up hopping on one foot, teetering. She ducked behind a rotten stump to catch her breath.

The good news was, she shook off the scary man. The bad news was she was even more lost than before. Liata stood up, dusting off her pinafore and wiped her eyes with her sleeves. As she wallowed in even greater self pity than before, her ears perked up at the sound of children's voices. They didn't sound like her siblings, but she could trust other children, surely!

Liata followed the sound to a clearing where two Ursini boys were wrestling each other, one playfully nipping the other's furry, round ear. Laughs and growls melded into each other as they tumbled in the dirt. Liata cautiously approached and cleared her throat. They didn't notice her. "Um... Hi!"

This caught their attention. One boy had pinned the other, but now she had two wide-eyed bear faces staring at her. This made Liata a little nervous, but they were young, so they wouldn't be a threat, right? Unlike Lupids, she had seen Ursini before. But she'd never played with them as they were always too rough.

"What do you want?" the top boy asked, standing up and helping the other to his feet.

"I'm lost. Do you know how to get to Brightmark?" Liata asked as sweetly as she could. The boys looked at each other and laughed. She didn't understand what was so funny about a girl lost in the woods.

"We don't go to Brightmark. It's full of Light worshippers. Hey, are you one too?" the older of the two boys asked.

"I bet she is," the younger rejoined.

"I am. What's wrong with that?" Liata asked, feeling the blood rush to her face. The boys laughed again.

"The sun don't care if you pray to it, you know. It'll keep rising and setting. That's what Ma says. But the Verdant Goddess, she hears you, and you can see it all around you." The bear-headed boy placed his hand on a tree. "You can look at a tree and touch a tree. Can't stare at the sun. You'll go blind. Can't touch it either."

"Yeah, can't touch the sun!" chorused the younger bear boy.

"That's why it's called FAITH! Stupid!" Liata said, balling her fists. "Because you can't see it or touch it! That's what my mother said! And I bet she's smarter than your ma!" Liata spat. The younger boy laughed, but the older boy also balled up his fists. The younger boy immediately stopped and adopted a similar stance.

"Oh yeah?" He challenged, taking a step forward. Liata trembled but kept her fists balled, although she stepped back.

"Yeah!" she answered, though a little uncertain.

"What are you arguing about?" Came a deep, husky but feminine voice. From the thick foliage stepped a towering, buxom Ursini, thick, calloused hands perched on her wide hips.

"That girl says her ma is smarter than you!" The boy ratted her out, despite Liata gesturing frantically for him to be silent. Her ears flattened and she looked at the woman, mouth hanging open in mortification.

"I... I... I..." Liata stuttered.

"Oh? Did she? Child, where is your mother?" the bear woman asked, one brow lifting.

Liata knew she was in trouble now. She did the only thing she could think of. She ran again. She ran and heared cackles and whoops in her wake, but she didn't care if they mocked her. She didn't want to feel the wrath of a mama bear! She thought she heard the woman yelling for her to not go that way, but she wasn't in a mind to listen.

Liata's path was obstructed by a small river, and she came to a halt. She must be very far away. But she was thirsty and hot from all of her crying and running. So she crouched down and took a drink, then splashed her salty face.

As Liata pondered what to do, she saw a wavering reflection flicker and grow, causing her to jump and fall into the river. Her mouth filled with water and she flailed as she felt the river's current tug at her loose fitting garments. She splashed and flailed and called out, until to her surprise she felt a hand grip hers. Her small body was pulled out of the water and set upon the river bank. She coughed and sputtered, letting the panic drain out with each dear breath.

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

When Liata rolled her head to the side she saw cloven hooves not unlike her own. Excitement and hope sprang and she looked further up at white, woolly legs. Her hope sank, but she was still intrigued as she gazed further up still, seeing a young man wearing a handsome brown waistcoat and gray vest. He looked out of place in the woods, but Liata was still thrilled to see him. He was a sophisticated town-dweller like herself, surely. He put his gloved hand out to her and she took it. She gazed up into his warm brown eyes, the tips of his rams horns pointing at his round, dimpled cheeks seemed to emphasise the warmth of his smile.

"I didn't mean to startle you, little girl. What are you doing out here all alone?" His voice made Liata think of how fudge made her feel. She was immediately at ease, despite the chill of dampness.

"I'm lost. My family left me all alone. Please, can you get me to Brightmark?" Liata asked, gathering up her skirts to wring out the excess moisture.

"Ah! Dear me, poor lost lamb..."

"Kid. I'm a kid."

"My mistake." The man laughed musically. "Come with me, and I'll get you warm and dry, and then we'll take you to Brightmark. You can't show up in town looking half drowned!"

"Oh..." Liata was always taught not to go into a stranger's house. But Liata felt a kinship with the man. After hesitation she said, "I shouldn't go places with strangers. So... what's your name?"

"Stevnar Kard, but you can call me Stevie," Stevnar introduced, thrusting his hand out again. Liata took it, beaming.

"I'm Liata Roughwood." Liata shook his hand. "Now we're not strangers!"

"Oh ho ho, that we are not, Little Miss Roughwood." Being called Miss Roughwood gave her a feeling of pride and grown-up-ness. "Shall we go?"

As they walked, Liata told Stevnar all about her family and the long trip they took to visit her grandmother in addition to visiting the Temple of Light. He didn't seem to think she was strange for worshipping the light, and told her she sounded like a little angel. It was nice to hear, although she knew she made some big mistakes. She told him about her wandering in the woods and the scary people she met, and he agreed that she was right to distrust them and run. The validation was a balm to her heart, but she still could not shake off the lingering sadness from her sense of abandonment.

They arrived at a cosy cabin in a clearing. The later afternoon sun bathed the wooden building in a warm glow and it looked like an illustration from a picture book. The soggy Caprian stood and admired it before following her new friend Stevnar inside. There was already a fire cracking in the fireplace, but Liata didn't stop to think how odd that was. She just sat beside it while Stevnar got her a towel to wrap up in and dry off. He then brought her some fruit jellies and crunchy sweet biscuits that she happily devoured.

"There. You are looking a lot better now. But the sun is getting low and I dare not walk these woods in the evening. Not with Lupids and Ursini prowling. So How about I make up a nice little cot for you by the fire and we will go to Brightmark tomorrow?" Stevnar suggested. Liata licked her fingers and poked at the crumbs on her plate until they stuck, then sucked them off. She almost thought it might be nice to just stay with Stevnar forever. But she didn't dare suggest it. She just smiled and nodded.

Stevnar's eyes crinkled as he smiled, and for a moment he didn't look quite as young before. Liata blinked. It was probably just a trick of the fire light. She held up her plate. "Where do I take my dirty dish?" She asked. She was determined to be a good girl. At home she'd just wait for her mother to gather up the dishes and sigh at her. But not with Mr. Kard! She was going to be a better little girl and then she'd never be abandoned again.

As promised a cot was made up and Stevnar let her borrow one of his shirts to wear to bed. She tucked under a warm quilt by the fire and tried not to think about how much she missed her family. Stevnar was nice but who would she play with? And a few times she thought she heard footsteps or the floor creak and asked if he lived alone, and he told her that he did. How very odd. But all the day's perils and tender mercies soon fled from her as she drifted off to sleep.

In the middle of the night Liata woke up. She thought she heard children crying. Liata decided it was just a nightmare and tried to go back to sleep. Then she remembered everything that happened the previous day and she sat up. She thought of her mother driving away and began crying again. Was there an echo? How odd. She held her breath and listened. There were definitely muffled cries that weren't her own.

Liata followed the voices, which grew to wails, then became quite for a while. Eventually she found a spot where the floor made a hollow sound under her hooves. The corner of the rug was slightly flipped up. She knelt down and rolled away the rug, discovering a hatch. Shaking, Liata pulled it open. The crying got louder. Did someone fall down and hurt themselves? But Stevnar said there was no one else there. Maybe it was a ghost? The ghost of a naughty child who cried over its misdeeds. Liata was about to go get Stevnar when she heard the voice speak.

"Please don't sell me, Mr. Kard. Please let me go back to my Mum," the voice quavered. Surely, this child was confused. Stevnar wouldn't sell someone. He was good and kind and woolly and warm. Liata decided to go down and reassure the child that they were mistaken. It was very dark, though, and Liata didn't have good night vision. She thumped and bumped and put her hands out, until she felt something cool and hard.

"Hello?" Her hand wrapped around it. She brought her other hand forward and found another. Two vertical cylinders, probably made of metal. What were these bars doing down here? Then she felt a clammy hand over the backs of her fingers and she yelped and backed away.

"Run away! Mr. Kard is a liar! Go!" said the child excitedly. Liata shook her head, trying to calm her racing heart.

"No! Stevie is very kind. He won't sell you," Liata insisted.

"Go! Or you'll be put in the cage with me!" Squealed the other child. Liata felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. She was about to refute the child and try to reassure them, moving forward to find them. But groping in the dark, all she could find was a row of bars. There really was a cage! "GO!"

Then there was a creak and both went silent. Liata held her breath, and couldn't hear any noise from the other child. Just the clip-clop of footsteps over head. Slowly a dim orange light drifted down from the open hatch, a hand lowered a candlestick from above.

"Oh, Little Miss Roughwood. You were being such a good girl, but I'm afraid you have done a very naughty thing," came Stevnar's voice. He descended and Liata watched with fear. Just when she thought she was finally safe, her new friend turned out to be a villain after all. She wanted to hold on to the hope that it was a misunderstanding, but where there was warmth in his smile, now was a predatory and cruel grin.

Liata balled up her fists. She had nowhere to run. Nowhere to go but through Stevnar. She charged straight at him, barely seeing his eyebrows rise in surprise before she brought her head into his knees. He staggered forward, dropping the candle which sputtered and hissed as it rolled away. Liata began climbing the ladder, the smell of wax and smoke filling her nostrils. She was doing it! She was getting away! She-

"NO YOU DON'T!" Liata felt her leg get grabbed and she was pulled down off the ladder. She screamed and tumbled onto Stevnar. The little barrel chested girl was heavy for her size, which caught the sheep man off guard and both of them fell to the ground. The room, meanwhile, was getting brighter and warmer as the candle had discovered a dusty old cloth that was draped over some old furniture.

"Lemme GO!" Liata screamed, flailing and trying to slip out of Stevnar's grip. The fire added an extra layer of panic to her, causing her to fight more ferociously than before. But she was just a little girl, and he was not. Stevnar eventually pinned her arms to her side in a huge bear hug, forcing her onto his lap.

"Look what you've done!" he scolded, forcing her to face the growing blaze. "If I didn't have a quota to fill, I'd let both of you brats burn down here!" Stevnar squeezed her tighter and Liata squeaked, feeling the smoky air rush out of her lungs. Shuffling on his knees, he dragged her to a corner where there was a coil of rope and began binding her. Liata bawled, helpless and afraid. All she could do was wonder what she had done to deserve this? Where was the God of Light her mother always said would look out for them? Did he abandon her, too?

Stevnar looked at the Lepidese girl in the cage. "I'll come back for you, stay low," he told her, pointing his finger at her. She whimpered and flattened herself on the ground. Stevnar began climbing the ladder one more time, the crackling of the fire growing louder. Liata felt a tug at the rope around her and she stumbled to the base of the ladder. The floorboards above moaned and creaked. Just as Stevnar was about to open the hatch, it flung open of its own accord, causing him to let out a startled noise.

Liata looked up, eyes stinging and blurry as a pair of hands reached down and grabbed Stevnar, pulling him up through the hatch. She saw his legs kicking uselessly and the man screamed. Liata shut her eyes, crying piteously. There was something even scarier than Stevnar up there, and she didn't want to see it.

Liata wasn't sure how long she had squatted in the corner, trying to keep away from the flames. But then she felt a hand on her shoulder. She squealed and pulled away, unable to flail her bound arms.

"We got to go!" growled a voice. She felt the ropes around her loosen. At this she opened her eyes, and saw a blurry tall figure silhouetted against the fire. The little girl from the cage, a pale slip of a girl with longer ears than Liata, held the other man's hand. He offered her his hand, with nothing else to do, she took it. He lifted her up and she scrambled quickly up the metal ladder, which was getting warm to the touch. Liata's head popped up and her eyes cleared. Standing nearby she saw a curvy figure looming in the moonlight. It was the Ursini woman!

"Come child, let's get you out of here," came her low but gentle voice. Liata ran to her, and she put her arms about her. "It's alright."

Next the Lepidese girl sprang from the hatch and she looked around, seeming hunched over from too much time in the cage. She limped over to Liata and the mama bear. Lastly, a wolf head popped up from the hatch.

"Where is Stevie?" Liata asked as she stepped back.

"He won't be hurting anyone ever again," said the man, before he fell into a fit of smoky coughs. Liata's eyes popped wide open.

"You didn't EAT him!?"

"What!? No! He's tied up until we can bring in the sheriff," the Ursini woman exclaimed.

"Oh." Was all Liata could think of to say. Something told her she needed to say more. An apology came to mind, but she was so tired, sore, and confused that no words came. Both the Ursini and Lupid seemed to understand. They took Liata to another cabin where she and the other little girl could sleep safely.

In the morning, Liata was prodded awake by one of the boys she'd met. Before Liata could make sense of where she woke up, he was pawing at her and saying "The Sheriff wants to see you."

This caused her to freeze. Oh no! Was she in trouble? The previous day came rushing back. She would have thought it all a dream if her throat didn't hurt, and if she wasn't in an unfamiliar bed. The boy tugged at her hand, dragging her out of bed. Liata saw in the bed next to her the other little girl, but she was still asleep.

Liata was led into a den decorated with furs and leather furniture. The younger boy laid on his belly on a furry rug. Sitting in a chair was brown furred Lupid with a black mask marking. "There you are! Liata Roughwood, right?"

"Y-yes sir," Liata said. She was taught to always be polite to lawmen, even if they were scary. But she'd learned a hard lesson the previous night. Not all scary looking people were bad, and not all kindly seeming people were good.

"Good. Come with me!" he said, standing up. Liata trembled but went with him. She paused, looking back at the Ursini family. "Thank you so much for saving me!"

"Well. They say never mess with a Mama bear," the Ursini woman said, rolling up her sleeves. "And I'll protect any child in danger." Liata gave her a full grin, exposing her gapped teeth.

"Good bye!" Liata said fondly.

The sheriff led her to a patrol wagon. She got to ride up front with him, which was very exciting. She'd never ridden in a patrol wagon before. Although she'd never wanted to ride in one before, as usually they were carrying bad people. She wondered if Stevnar was in the back, but didn't really want to know.

Liata was quiet during the ride back to Brightmark. She tried to think about everything that happened and what it all meant. Self reflection, however, is a heavy task for one so young, and she drifted off, leaning on the Lupid next to her.

"Lia! OH LIA!" Was she dreaming? Lia was sure that she heard her mother calling out to her. She opened her eyes and stretched. Blearily, she looked around. Rushing over to her was her mother! "Lia!"

"MAMA!" Liata shrieked with joy. She nearly fell off of the rider's seat, getting steadied by the sheriff. Her mother arrived and grabbed her up in her arms, hugging her tight. "Oh Mama! You didn't leave me!"

"Of course we didn't! We went looking for you! Someone said they saw you in the forest, but it was all lies," her mother explained. She looked beyond her mother to where her siblings sat in their old cart. "Oh Liata! Never, EVER worry me like that again!"

Liata just hugged her mother tight. "I won't Mama. I'm sorry! I'll be good from now on! I promise."

This was a promise many a child made, but rarely kept. But that is hardly the point. Liata was happy just to be able to say those words to her family once more.