The Flame of Catalina

Chay's POV   I peeked out from around the dead oak branch that I laid on, bordering the Baivorii Family’s farm. I needed to make sure I knew with absolute certainty where all the guards stood. As I surveyed the scene, my stomach rumbled, reminding me why I needed today to go off without a hitch.    My father once told me that there were several farms around the country that acted as food reserves for the royal family in times of famine. While the country itself was not facing a famine, it was winter which meant it was the only place I could find grain and vegetables reliably. It bordered the Raventhrope Forest, which stood at the base of the mountain range that bordered our neighboring country Mhoads. After my mother died, my father moved my brother Garin and me deep into the forest, as far away as possible without starting up the mountain. The farm was a six-hour trek from home, and the snow that covered the ground made it a cold and wet journey.   The layout of the farm was familiar to me. Past the tree line came a fence that surrounded the whole property. Past the four growing fields were the grain silo, storage cabin, and guards and farmers’ barracks that hugged the fence. This was my fifth winter coming here when our food supply ran low.    Garin and I tried to gather and save enough food in the fall to eat during the winter, but because Garin grew so fast, it never lasted long. I was a skilled hunter, but most games around our cottage hibernated in the winter. Sometimes I lucked out and found an odd fox or squirrel, but that barely fed us both. He was twelve and still growing. He was already taller than me, but I was slightly to begin with.    He and I had similar features between our almost white, blond hair and sapphire blue eyes. Because it was deep into winter, we were both pale and thin, making our eyes look sunken. I noticed my cheekbones becoming more prominent with each passing week, a side effect of offering my servings of food to Garin when I could convince him to take it. After father left us, I became the one to look after him. Being in a forest also meant he was the only other person I had.   When I was ready, I took a breath to calm myself, then climbed down the tree and started making my way around the fence just behind the tree line. When I got to the section of fence that sat behind the silo, I came to the fence, made of old wood, and slipped through a hole I created for my first mission. I had come several times to just scout the inside of the property from several trees to make sure I put this hole in the best vantage point to be in and out.   Dressed in boots, brown slacks, a dirty off-white wool tunic, and a satchel, I crouched behind the silo waiting to dash under the storage cabin. I rolled under when the guard walked past me. There was a trap door that landed me in the room with potatoes, onions, and carrots. I checked to make sure the room was silent before I pulled myself up and into the room. It was pitch black, but I knew exactly where I was grabbing. I grabbed as much as the satchel could carry, fastened the bag, and slipped back through the trap door.   I checked to make sure the guards made their rounds before I ran back behind the silo and out the hole in the fence. It was getting dark since it was winter, and days were short, so I started jogging when I got to the Treeline. Just as the relief of successfully getting away settled in, I heard a click.    I looked down just as a rope snagged around my ankle. It tightened and pulled me upside down, dangling from a tree. The sun continued to set as I struggled for several minutes to reach the rope to pull my leg free. I just had to reach up and undo the knot. My satchel was on the ground with the vegetables scattered. After several attempts, I started feeling dizzy.    Panic set in as black spots formed. As the cold wind blew, the last thing I saw was a body approaching me before darkness.