A guttural scream escapes my father's throat as an arrow embeds itself into a tree not an inch from my face.

Hands grab me from behind, fingertips sinking into the tender skin of my arms and dragging me from the woods. One clamps over my mouth the second I am prepared to call for help, hard enough that I'm unable to move my head. Not that I would have been heard over the chaos of my village.

I kick and flail my arms in a desperate attempt to free myself, but the hands that hold me are stronger than I am. I'm carried for what feels like an hour, though the fight never leaves me. I still have no tell as to who my captor is, but I'm confident I will be able to make my escape soon enough.

If I could get back.

As I fight, I wonder if anybody's noticed my absence. My father was occupied with another assailant as I was taken, but has he yet realized? Has mother? Have they searched for me like I'd have searched for them?

Eventually, we stop. The hand at my mouth is released, but the one at my arm doesn't so much as loosen its grip. Finally, I glimpse my captor.

Male, light skinned, lean but not weak, tall. Wearing a mask, so his facial features do me no good.

Before I can even open my mouth,

"Don't speak yet. I am here to help you, but you cannot speak until she arrives. Do you understand?"

He is looking around nervously, for this 'she'. Perhaps he is frightened of her.

"My fa-"

I say no more than this before he kneels down to my level and clasps his hand right back over my mouth, nearly slamming my head back. My eyes widen in repulsion. When was the last time this guy had a shower?

"Do. Not. Speak."

From then until I learned who this woman he spoke of was, his hand stayed right where it was. Not yet could I attempt to flee.

I would have to wait for the right moment.

Though we were in the midst of the woods (and I still have no idea how he sensed her), the mere snap of a twig alerted my captor of his leader's (?) arrival.

From a thick copse of trees emerged a very tiny woman. Tinier even than myself. Almost laughably.

One might have mistaken her for a child.

My captor bowed immediately, shoving me down onto my knees with him. I refused to lower my head.

Wordlessly, the woman nods her head at the man, motioning for him to step aside. He reluctantly releases me, leaving his handprint stark white against my arm.

I hope that fades quickly.

"You can stand."

Her voice is almost shrill, girlish. But I waste no time getting my knees off the dirt.

As I take her in, I am surprised at what I see. The woman is maskless, with a small slope of a nose and full lips, dark brown eyes glistening of mischief.

Much to my surprise, the woman smiles at me as she too takes me in. And then she opens her arms to me.

"My Ophelia, finally!" Her grin seems to grow wider and wider, and I have absolutely no idea what to do. Who the fuck is this and why the fuck does she know my name?

"No, not there yet? Okay," she says, seemingly disappointed that a girl who has never met her doesn't immediately want a hug, but sounding no less cheerful.

After an awkward moment of silence, she invites me to sit with her on a big rock. I stay put.

"Either explain to me who the hell you are or return me to my clan at once," I demand. "Or I will leave myself."

I look this woman in the eyes as I say so, making sure to get across to her boy toy as well.

At last, the woman giggles.

"My dearest Ophelia," she cajoles, "I know this must seem strange to you but my dear, I am your mother!"

I silently take in her features again, brown eyes and browner hair, nose with a smooth slope same as mine. I shake my head. No.

"I have a mother."

"Sit, please," the woman says in a voice sweet as honey. "I will explain everything."

"No. You are mistaken," I tell her. "I have–"

I am interrupted by a gut-wrenching battle cry vibrate throughout the woods, right near where I stand.

Who better to interrupt this extremely odd conversation than my father, leader of our clan?

i haven't written in two long so this is an attempt to get the rust out of my brain