Angela sat in the middle of the sofa. It was covered in smooth red plush, with a few plaid throw pillows on the arms. Plaid. Angela snorted in disgust. Plaid was such an ugly color. Or would it be considered a pattern? She tapped her foot impatiently.

Her visitor was already late, and she didn't take kindly to visitors anyway, much less ones who were always late. She fidgeted in her silk dress. The finest blue silk, with a necklace of pearls around her neck. For her that was casual. "You would think," she mumbled to herself, "That someone who fears me so much would bother to show up." Just then there was a knock at the door. She took a second to compose herself then said, "Come in."

The door opened slowly, and into the room walked a man wearing a dark, slightly mud-stained suit, and equally dark and mud-stained pants and leather shoes. Angela put on her most innocent smile and said, "Wesley Creaus. I should have known Garth would send you." Wesley smiled, but Angela could see that beneath his cool appearance he was trembling.  For the first time, Angela's Soul-Carrier, a tawny barn owl, perked up, alert and watching with her deep black eyes.

Wesley's Soul-Carrier, a leopard with emerald green eyes, stalked behind him as he walked over to the chair across from Angela. "So, what brings you here, Wes?" she asked amsentmindedly, even though she knew he wasn't falling for it. His leopard laid down beside his feet, and the two Soul-Carriers watched each other with contempt. Wesley began.

"Garth has realized how the feud between out societies has affected the areas in which we are safe to live in. Up until now, if you accept my offer, nowhere fits the deion of 'safe', whithin the realm of the Caves." he paused. Angela watched his face with growing boredome. "As you know." Wesley continued, "This is the winter, and supplies are scarce. Therefore, we will not be able to take refuge anywhere else, or remain near here without being pelted with bullets from your patrols. We have a little idea of what you're up to, and if you continue it we will attempt a full-blown raid on your property."

Angela's eyebrows raised. "Attempt? To me it sounds like you have little confidece in your rangers." She said. Wesley's leopard growled, but Angela's owl silenced him with a low screech. Wesley waved the accusation off with a shake of his hand. "So, what I am offering is a fair share of land between the Inga and the Runners. You get half of the Caves, and so do we." He spread his hands. "Fair trade?"

Angela pondered this. She whispered to her owl, "What do you think, Haisley?" Haisley answered a quiet as she could muster," I think he's lying." Angela smiled. Hailsey had never been wrong before. She stood up and said quite loudly, "No."

Wesley's cool smile faltered. But it returned a second later. Angela smiled, Wesley was his best persuader, useful for gathering information. "But surely you see the logic of having your own area where we will certainly not disturb?" Angela snorted. "Certainly. Yeah, right."

Wesley stood up. "Fine." he exclaimed as he and his Soul-Carrier swept out of the room. "Suit yourself." he opened the door, and  as he left, the leopard looked back hesitantly at Angela's owl. "Come on Xena." he muttered as his foot disappeared behind the door. Xena strutted after him. Haisley fluttered up to her shoulder, a absent, thinking look on her face.

Two Years Later...

Jake ran through the tunnel, his feet pounding the floor of the damp cave. His father, Garth Wendell, was nowhere to be seen. His Soul-Carrier, a white seagull, swooped and dived behind him. Her red pupils darted around, looking for any sight of the Wolves which the Rangers of the Inga had as Soul-Carriers. Jake could hear gunshots behind him, slamming the ground near the mouth of the tunnel.

This was Jake's family's home. His father Garth Wendell, his mother Lynn Wendell, and his sister Jazz. He stopped, despite the baying of the Igna wolves. If he kept going, he would lead the Inga right into his home. If he stopped, he would surely die. "Why do the most important decisions always turn up at the wrong times?" he moaned. In the second he stood there pouting, he felt a hand clamp down on his shoulder. "You come with me." a cool female voice whispered in his ear. He didn't turn his head, even when the person led him back down the tunnel.