"Angels and Demons" By Dan Brown

I have finally gotten around to reading the the second book, or rather the prequel, to "The Da Vinci Code"
I enjoyed it. It was very good.

Structurally, I found it very similar to "The Da Vinci Code" Same kind of story line, same kind of twists. In both he gets involved in the end with the woman he was helping. A fact that I find kinda hard to accept timewise, as there is only supposed to be about a year off stage between the two books.
Reading "The Da Vinci Code", I got the impression that the main character Robert Langdon hadn't been with anyone for a while. ... Maybe it didn't work out with Vittoria for more then about three weeks after "Angels and Deamons". Though I find that hard to believe, so maybe I'm just remembering the beginning of "The Da Vinci Code" wrong. A not entirely impossible possibility.

Fascinating stuff about history and religion. That is one thing I've enjoyed immensely about both books. No complaints from me there.

And there was one more thing I wanted to say. The thought seems to be playing hind and seek inside my brain at the moment. So I'll do an up date if and when/if I remember what it was.

Please leave a comment, tell me what you think. Or find me on my facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/SaaskiOFFICIAL
You can also take a look at my previous post on "The Da Vinci Code" here, http://opinionsstoriesbooksnovels.blogspot.com/2011/10/da-vinci-code-by-dan-brown.html

Thankyou for reading my post, Saaski

Tamora Pierce

Ok, today I've decided to do something a little bit different.
Instead of talking to you about a specific book or series, I'm going to talk to you about one of my favorite Authors, and all her books in general instead.

I already talked somewhat about Tamora's writing. I was trying to describe what what her Alanna series was like, and what I said then is still true now. So, rather then repeat myself, I think I'll just take out a quote from there for the benefit of those who haven't read it yet, and give you a lick where you can check it out for yourself here: http://opinionsstoriesbooksnovels.blogspot.com/2011/10/song-of-lioness-quartet-by-tamora.html

On her writing..

"...The best way I can describe Tamora's writing, I think, lies in telling you how I myself was first introduced to the books.

I had just finished reading half of "the Wheel of Time" series by Robert Jordan, and anyone who has read them can tell you just how mind numbing that series can be, even if taken in s slowly. Let alone at the almost inhaling pace I'd been going. So, needing a break but still wanting to read something, I asked my friend if she knew of a series or book that didn't force you to think too much, but at the same time wasn't boring or predictable. She showed me Tamora Pierce, and I fell in love. (Cheesy line yes, but none less true.)..."       I relise that by saying "doesn't force you to think", I might have put a few people off by implying that the books are simple, or even unimaginative. That's not what I mean at all. I just mean that you're not constantly banging you head up against the wall wondering just how much more twisted it could get, and wanting to scream at the characters for many reasons half of which haven't even happened yet. No. None of that. Her books are incredibly fun to read and very interesting, but they don't give you a headaches.

The truly brilliant thing about Tamora though, lies not in the fact that she doesn't give you headaches, but in the way that her male and female characters act toward each other. That is not to say that there is no such thing as gender discrimination within her worlds. (For some of main her characters, that is their biggest hurdle in getting to where they want to be) But among the strongest/most prominent characters, the idea of females being weaker because they are females is almost foreign. 

One of my most favorite lines out of her books is, "What do they think their lady mothers do when their fathers are at war and pirates are attacking. Sit there embroidering?"

At the same time, she doesn't lessen the strength in her men in order to make the gril's "seem" stronger. King Jonathon of Tortall, and Briar from the Winding Circle being only the two most obvious examples. 

Briar especially, as he grows up with 3 incredibly strong minded girls, and is raised my two of the most powerful women in the country. 

As a young adult, he is becoming a powerful mage in his own right, and is very secure in his masculinity.

How many authors ever pull that off hmm...?

... On the different reality's Tamora has created....

Tamora has two main realities for her books. One with Tortall in it, the other the Winding Circle. Neither of witch is the only place is either if their respective worlds, but are where the main characters spend most of their time.

Tamora has, in fact, created other realities. In her book (short story compilation), "Tortall and Other Lands" we see quite a number of different ones.

So far, she has written and released 28 books all together, and co-authored two more.

Namely;

White Tiger: A Hero's Compulsion with Timothy Liebe as co-author, and Phil Briones as illustrator.

Young Warriors: Stories of Strength with Josepha Sherman as co-editor.

She apparently has another book coming out soon with Briar as the main character. 

Now, as I don't want to give away any spoilers, I'm going to get cryptic.

Those of you who have read all the Winding Circle books out so far would have noticed that there is certain ... information ... missing between "The Circle Opens" series and "The Will of the Empress". Almost as is if you skipped reading an important book. I have reason to believe that it is that book. (Yay!)

If you want to look Tamora up yourself, her websight is here: http://www.tamora-pierce.com/

And, yeah. Leave a comment to tell me what you think, or find me on my facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/SaaskiOFFICIAL

"The Gathering" By Kelly Armstrong

Kelly is best known by her "Women of the Other World" series.
All though, she has three different series, they are all based in the same reality, and are more or less parallel to each other. (So far as a am aware, non of the characters in each series have met each other yet.)
"The Gathering" is the first book in Kelly's most resent series, "The Darkness Rising Trilogy". I am unsure of exactly where "The Gathering" is in the timeline Kelly has for all three books, because I haven't yet read the other two books and the characters start off very isolated from knowledge of whats actually happening around them.
In fact, the only reason that I know for sure that they are actually in the same reality as the other two series, is that two of the characters happened upon the word cabal. And because it's been a while since I've managed to get my hands on any of Kelly's books, I actually carried on reading one or two paragraphs before my eyes snapped back up to the word and I realised I'd seen something very significant.

If this book wasn't a part of a series, I think I would be very annoyed with it's end. I'd be going 'Nothing's really happened yet! The climax is only beginning.'
It's very much a book that is a first book. Like a really big introduction to the characters and whats going on in there lives. Giving you just enough to know that there HAS to be more. But not so little that you want to ask what the point of the book was.
Definitely engrossing, I enjoyed every minute of it. But if Kelly hadn't already had the next to books up in book stores, I currently be muttering about how there better be a sequel.

That said, it's not one of my favorite books of hers, mainly because I don't feel like I've finished it yet, so maybe after I've gone through the whole series I'll give you an overview of all three of them. See what I think then.

"Wings" By Aprilynne Pike

"Wings" is a good read.
It walks the thin line between traditional folklore belief's and the Authors own imagination, balancing perfectly.
I liked the story line. It's one of the few ones that I can honestly say hasn't been done before, and that's saying something.
The only problem I have for it would be the triangle going on between Lauren, David and Tamani. That definitely has been done before. I swear, the second I realised there was a second guy I felt like banging my head up against the wall and groaning. Why? Why is there always more then one. Maybe this is just me but I intend to make sure that the next book I read involves monogamy or no such relationships at all. I've had enough. For now anyway.

And that is all I'll say for this morning. I'm a bit tired as I couldn't sleep last night. (I ended up picking up "Wings" and reading through the night just to stave of boredom. I can however tell you that this book took me 5 - 6 unbroken hours to read.)
It is now 7:37am and sleep has decided to come calling at last. .... I am so lucky I don't have work today.

"Wee Free Men" By Terry Pratchett

I first read this book (Or rather, my mum read it to me then) when I was 8 years old, and I still love it as much today as I did then.
My favorite in the series is actually the forth and last one "I Shall wear Midnight"

Tiffany Aching is a great character. I love the matter of fact way she approaches life and the world in general.
She has such a clever yet somehow innocent mind. Especially in the first book.

My favorite line of hers will always be when she gets made Kelda of the Feagles, and she has to answer something before it can be official. With the wee birdy and the granite mountain. (In mind of not turning this into a spoiler version I wont say more then that.) I love it.

And the Wee Free Men (aka Nack Mac Feagles) are always a pleasure to read about. I like all there lines. Especially Daft Wallies, and Not-So-Big-as Medium-Size-Jock-But-Bigger-Then-Wee-Jock-Jock. (I'm surprised I remembered all that.)

I'd recommend this book to anyone.

"Slave to Sensation" By Nalini Singh

"Slave to Sensation" is the first book in the Psy-Changeling Series.
It's about Sascha, a woman who is Psy. A race of powerful Psychic's who believe that anyone week enough to feel emotion is not worth keeping around.
And Lucas, a Changeling leopard who's just about had enough of Psy superiority.
He want's to know how he can stop the Psy from repeating their latest atrocity.
Nikita, Sascha's mother and head of her family group, wants to get new information on what makes Changeling's tick.

Pretty standard Romance stuff. My own mother doesn't like Nalini, but I do. The world's she paint's are just so fascinating. I love the way the plot develops from book to book. It's not like how most "episode" series end up. When each book is mostly a separate entity on it's own, with just the vaguest background to link them.
Nalini's series actually move forward, and even though I find them in the romance section of my local book shop, I keep getting them because I want to know what happens next.
The romance part of it is good too. She always focuses more on what brought them to be together, not sex. Though that's in there. It's secondary. Which is something I like, though I'm not sure how many of you will agree with me.

"Kiss the Dead" by Laurell K. Hamilton

 I would not recommend Laurell's books to anyone under 15. Just for the record.

I'm really happy that I got this book. I had my doubts a bit. The last two books in the series haven't been up to standards. Not to mention even before then I'd felt like the series was going on a downward spiral.
Anita was having the same issues over and over again. She'd get freaked out, sort of figure out a solution by the end of the book, then in the next one it'd been like nothing had happened. We'd be taken through it all again.
After reading "Bullet" -which is a book with at least 350 pages- I felt like I'd read 50, 100 pages at most for the amount of stuff that was actually in it.
The only reason I'd continued to pick up the next book was because for all that Laurell can get fixated on one particular problem and gnaw on it, she does create the most amazing worlds. And her story lines are great, I wanted to know what happened next.

"Kiss the Dead" was like a breath of fresh air.  We're actually going somewhere. Stuff happened. I didn't feel like I was reading porn with a story line. And I know that sounds a little mean. But it's the truth. The last few books were like that. But this one was actually focused the world outside the bedrooms and Anita's torment.
People are actually happy. Which is something that I don't think has happened since "Skin Trade" or maybe even "Blood Noir" 5 books ago.

So for those of you thinking of giving up on Anita's life, I say "There is light at the end of the tunnel folks!"

We also get to see what Nathaniel's spine looks like! I mean, we've known he has one for quite some time, but normally he chooses not to use it. That is my favorite moment in the whole book, I swear. It's one sweet moment.
we get to see some old time character's come back in, and a new one.

I've been rereading all my favorite bit's again and again over the past few days. Just that in itself speaks for how much I've been enjoying this one.
So yeah. I'm happy, and I think I'll end it on that note.

"Tangle of Need" by Nalini Singh SPOILER

Note: I'm Sorry there's been such a big gap between posts. My Internet has been down for the past two weeks or so, and I just got it back this morning.


"Tangle of Need" is the much awaited latest book in Nalini's Psy-Changling series.
You can find it in amongst the rest of the Romance genre. Same as her Guild Hunter Series (that's the one with Elena, I'm sure I've mentioned) That in itself tells you allot about the main focus of Nalini's books, but it is not why I like them.
Nalini's style, especially with her psy-changeling series, is to focus on one new couple with each book and tell an underlying story through that. And she's very good at it.
I'm not sure if I can give you a good impression of my thoughts on the book without giving too much away. Considering that this is the 11th one in the series... what the hell,(I'll go back and do one about the first book some time I promise) SPOILER ALERT STOP READING
I'm starting to have a fairly good idea as to who the Ghost is. I've narrowed it down to two suspects. One more likely then the other, but I'm not ruling 'the other' out yet.
It's getting exiting.
I liked what happened with Henry Scott. Good riddance. And I think Vasic needs to spend some quality time Sascha. I don't think he's as lost as he thinks he is. (Sascha is an empath and can heal "non-phisical" wounds. Just in case some of you who haven't read any of the other books decided to read past the spoiler alert anyway..)
My favorite line in the whole book is when Aden tell's Adria and Riaz that "We appreciate the assistance" as the two of them are leaving, and Adria looks back over her shoulder and "wondered how often one of these men said that to anyone." It just manages to sum up the entirety of what the Arrows are. You can just feel it in your bones as she thinks it. Their utter isolation and loneliness, with the weight of so much responsibility to so many people pressing down on their shoulders. Just the image of him standing there watching them go, with Vasic behind him, quietly beginning to clean up of the killers remains. Pretty powerful if you ask me.

I like the ending to this one as well, with Adria and Riaz. It's not as predictable as it usually is in all the other books that have come before. It's good to have a bit of verity.

I'm worried about Ming. He's the biggest immediate threat. He could (and probably will) do some serious damage. Though I do also wonder what Tatiana and Shoshanna are up to. Especially Shoshanna. It's not like a Counsil member to go all quite and mousy. This is I think the 2nd or third book where we've heard nothing about what she's up to. It's making me suspicious.

To be honest though, Kaleb is the one who worries me the most. He means well I think, but then some of the worst kind of monsters in the world come into being by being when people think that they are doing what is right and necessarily. He'd never do anything to hurt the psy-net. He would do anything to help his people. But what does he consider helpful? I don't know.

I was going to also tell you who I thought the Ghost was, but I'm not sure if anyone would want hear what I think on that one, it might influence you're thinking until you can't come up with you're own guesses. So let me know in the comments if you do want to know and I'll answer when I see it.

"Angel's Flight" By Nalini Singh

Angel's Flight is a collection of 4 short stories that fit into the world of Nalini's second series. We do not see, in any of them, much of either of the main characters Elena and Raphael, as the stories are ones based around things that are "back ground" stories in the main books. Thing's that we may hear hint's of but not get the actual details.
The first one, "Angel's Pawn" is about Ashwini, and her her irritating Cajun vamp as they visit the territory of Nazarach. An Angel who to a woman with the sixth sense like Ash, feel's like death and pain.
It's great because you never get to actually meet Janvier in the books. Only hear about him. So it's nice getting to see what he's like. It's a bit hard to place the timing of when the story happens, but I think it's just before the first book, "Angel's Blood".

Second story, "Angel's Judgement" is of Sarah, Ellie's best friend and Guild Director, and Deacon when they first meet. If that's not enough to entice you, I say 'You'll never guess what his job was before they got together.' Something about Slaying......!?

Third, "Angel's Wolf" is about Noel. A vampire that we meet in the second book who was found brutalised by the evil person. It's a miracle that he survived, and last we hear of him is I think in the beginning of the third book when Raphael tell's Elena that he's sent him to work for the Master Angel of Louisiana for a while, as it was a good place for him to heal. "Angel's Wolf" tell us what happens to Noel once he get's there. Something which I have been quite curious about for a while, and which made buying the book worth it almost all on it's own.

Last but not least is "Angel's Dance. This one is more a short Novel then a short story really, and takes up just over a third of the book. Not that I'm complaining. It is about how Galen first came to be one of Raphael's people, and how he and Jessamy -the Angel's Keeper of History- came to be together. A fact that is even less mentioned then anything about Noel. The only hint of it is when Elena see's him going in to visit her and draws the conclusion that they must be a couple. You also get to see what Raphael's Archangel Tower and the territory around it looked like four hundred years ago. Not to mention a glimpse of what it was like to be in his court only a century after he'd come into his power. We see Aodhan before whatever happened happened. It's nice to know he was once an innocent youth.
And if anyone was interested in finding out how Michaela rose to power, or who the Archangel who came before her was, then that's in there.

All around, good stuff.

"The Magicians of Caprona" By Diana Wynne Jones

You can tell I have had nothing much to do but read these past couple of days, since this is going to be my 3rd post in 30 or so hours.

The Magicians of Caprona is a very entertaining story that starts -note I say starts- off a bit like Romeo and Juliet, with to very respectable feuding families. But it's not about romance at all. It  focuses on the younger members of each family as they try to stop the adults from being stupid, and Chrestomanci is once again left with a big mess to clean up.

If it were juice I would have dipped in a straw, and sucked steadily down to the last dregs. Barely pausing to breathe.
I live for books.

"Charmed Life" By Diana Wynne Jones

This book is actually a few books ahead of "The Pinhoe Egg" in the Chrestomanci series that I posted about around a week back. It's the first one that Cat comes into in fact.

In contrast to the Pinhoe egg, this is not one of my favorite Diana books. This was actually the first time I've reread it. Not because it's a bad read or anything, but because of Cat's sister, Gwendolen. She's a nasty piece of work. I tell you.
And I don't like the way Chrestomanci deals with the whole situation. It's not one of his best moments..

One thing that is fascinating is that you see in detail a lot of Chrestomanci's dressing gowns. Quite amusing really. I'd almost forgotten just how extravagant they all are. By the time the other books come around, Cat has gotten somewhat used to them, and does not notice them so much.

"Black Maria" by Diana Wynne Jones

This is another book by Diana. One that I had put off reading for a while, because the title and cover promised that it would have a dark theme to it. I try to stay away from books like that, with psychological war fair and so on. My own brain doesn't react well to it.
But, I am out of money and new books to read. So, thinking of how I have yet to read a book by Diana that was actually mentally damaging, I went into my sisters room yesterday to pick it up.
And it was ok.
It did have a little scary bit with a ghost, (don't worry, that's not a spoiler. He gets mentioned in the first chapter) but even that can't really be classified as scary.

It will never be one of my favorite books, mainly because it's not my type, but Diana certainly demonstrated with it her ability to make engaging even that which you thought wouldn't interest you.

The Pinhoe Egg. by Diana Wynne Jones

Dianna was a genius with pen and paper as far as I'm concerned. (I use the word 'was', because sadly she passed away last year.................... A moment of quiet in respect.....................)

I have yet to read one of her books that I didn't like, and 'The Pinhoe Egg' is my favorite of the lot. 

Hmm, I'm having trouble describing what I liked about it without giving away spoilers, so I'll start by saying the simple things and hopefully that will put some wind in my sails.

• It's aimed at a younger audience, but it's enjoyable for everyone.
• Her writing stile is simple but engaging. It has a steady rhythm to it that manages to remain constantly "new" yet not overwhelming. 
• It's part of the Chrestomanci series about Chrestomanci who is a very powerful enchanter, who's job it is to police other magic users so that the don't misuse it.
  'The Pinhoe Egg' is about Erik Chant - aka Cat - who is in training to be the next Chrestomanci.

I would definitely recommend it to anyone. 

And that's pretty much all I can say about it I think without turning this into a spoiler version.

The Fellowship of the Ring. by J.R.R. Tolkien

Two days ago, (I didn't have a computer on me at the time, so I wrote what I thought down on a note book. Which I will now copy onto here.) I finished reading Part 1 of "The Lord of the Rings", and I tell you it was a bite and a half.
It took me 5 days to finish. Though even with the fact that it had small font, usually that size of book would only have taken me 2, maybe 3 days at most.
Having said that though I did enjoy it very much.

For years, people have been telling me that it is a great book but really hard to read, and that Tolkien rambled on a bit about scenery etc., taking ages to get to the point.
I did feel this a bit as I was reading. Though I think it does make sense, as he originally made these books as a place for his made up language (the eleven language) to exist. In a sense the world and the culture of the people where more important then the main characters.
In opposition to that theory however, there was a jarring note when it came to directions. To give you an example; In the beginning when the four hobbits are going through the Old Forest, they start off facing East, then turn 'right' towards North.
If you are facing East and turn right, you are going South.

This, among other things, makes me think that Tolkien was a person who "heard the words" (in his mind as he read) rather then saw the pictures that they represented.
What I mean, is that when reading most people(as far as I know most people) picture what is happening in their mind. This way, it can be almost as though they are watching the story rather then reading it.
Tolkien on the other hand was, I think, among those who enjoyed the flow of the words and how they formed ideas. - As I am not one of these people, I'm not rightly sure how it works. -

I must admit, the way he strung the words together was beautiful. Lord of the Rings is one story which I wouldn't mind getting in audio. Though usually I like to read the book myself, I have a feeling that it would be great to listen to.

I loved his songs. One person who told me about the books described them in the same category as his long descriptions of the scenery's, but I loved them. I could almost hear the people singing.
Every time I came to the songs, I would sing them out loud just to hear them, and they would make their own rhythm on my tongue. No effort required on my part.
-Side Note. Maybe Tolkien would have been able to become a great Bard if those things were still around.-

As to the movie, I haven't seen it in a while, but I still think it is one of the best book based movies ever to be made. And maybe Tolkien's slow but steady pace had something to do with that.

NightSeer by L. K. Hamilton

This book is the Debut Novel by one of my favorite author's.
I've been curious for some time about it, and so when I saw it at the book store I couldn't resist.

I am Happy to say that I liked it very much. The only problem I had with it was that it didn't really feel finished to me, and I know it doesn't have a sequel.
I would like to see a bit more of the relationship between Keleios and Lothor. Also, I would like to see him defend his actions in the beginning of the book a bit. Because under all that devil-may-care attitude, I think he does have his reasons, (what is happening back home for example) and I think he actually does care for her very much.
Otherwise yeah, I loved it.

"The Song of the Lioness" Quartet, by Tamora Pierce

For those of you who don't already know of her, and because this is the first time I'm posting about any of her books, I think I should tell you a bit about how this author writes first.
The first thing I'll say, is that Tamora writes series among series. Now, what I mean by that is that her series are connected. (Another person who does this is Terry Pratchett.) For example, her main character in this series, -Alanna- is the mother of the main character in her forth series, -Alianne- which is based almost 20 years after Alanna's series. Alanna is in her mid-to-late 30's, and it is Alys' turn to find her place in the world.
And so on and so forth...

As far as I can find, Tamora Pierce has created 2 main worlds in which her story's grow.
I will also note that unlike Pratchett's "Disc worlds", and the alternate worlds that the manga authors of CLAMP creates, Pierce's two worlds are not connected and have nothing to do with each other. They are entirely separate.

The best way I can describe Tamora's writing, I think, lies in telling you how I myself was first introduced to the books.
I had just finished reading half of "the Wheel of Time" series by Robert Jordan, and anyone who has read them can tell you just how mind numbing that series can be, even if taken in s slowly. Let alone at the almost inhaling pace I'd been going. So, needing a break but still wanting to read something, I asked my friend if she knew of a series or book that didn't force you to think too much, but at the same time wasn't boring or predictable. She showed me Tamora Pierce, and I fell in love. (Cheesy line yes, but none less true.)
I would not hesitate recommend her books to anyone who doesn't hate Fiction. It is good for all ages. And by that I don't mean that parents won't get bored reading it to their kids. (Though they won't. My mum and I are reading them to my little sister now and are having a great time.) I truly mean it's good for all ages. My mum is 41 and she loves them as much as I do. My sister is 11. My friend, that I mentioned earlier, read them when she was even younger.

And now, I shall talk about what the title of this post says I am talking about.

As far as I can find, this series is the first of all the books that Tamora Pierce has ever sold. It started out as one book, titled The song of the Lioness, and was later split into 4 separate books at the recommendation of her agent. Now, I can't tell you if it is better as 4 different books, because I never read it as 1 book. But I can tell you that I was caught immediately by Alanna and her struggles, as she strives to become a knight while unable to tell anyone that their little guy friend or student Alan is actually Alanna, and not a guy at all.
And I know now, you're probably staring at your screen wanting to yell at me, "Hey! Did you just give the plot away!?"
I promise you no, I didn't. Everything I've said, you find out in the first chapter, and isn't even the beginning of what makes it such a good series.
Hmm.. now I come to the difficult part. How do I tell you what does make it a good series Without doing what just I promised you I wasn't doing. Which is tell you the whole story.
I guess I go back to saying what I did before, in explaining the whole of Tamora's writing. "The Song of the Lioness" Quartet is very good in that it doesn't twist your brain around with convoluted plots, and/or have you wanting to scream at the characters and call them every name under the sky for not seeing what's right. Under. Their noses. But at the same time it is interesting. It can have you chuckling and wanting to cry, or even rolling your eyes at times. Tamora paints her worlds clearly. But she doesn't go on about them either. You can see everything she wants you to see clearly in your minds eye, including which way North, South, East and West are. But you'll never find yourself skipping paragraphs to get to the juicy bits.

It's based in a world that's not our own. Some can use magic, and the Gods speak to their people. Legends happen, and immortals are real. No such thing as electronics. That kind of thing.

Alanna is as stubborn as they come.

No, it's not all innocents and fairy tales.

And that's it I think - all I can tell you of what I thought without giving anything away. I'll do a Spoiler version some other time.

Sincerely, Saaski.

My own personal heaven.

Another flood of light came though the window, though again, it didn't hit us. Leo trembled against my arms in response. We were well hidden behind the single bed that was the only furniture in room that made up the entire structure of the old house that we were in. But that didn't stop the heart-stopping fear that went through us every time it happened.
The light moved away. Nothing happened for a moment, then I heard an irritated sort of grumble from out side, and someone sighed. It had happened before, so it didn't bother me. What did, was that this time someone spoke up."We know you're in there," it was a sleek, smooth, cooing sort of voice, "Games over. You can't hide in there forever."
Oh, that's original. I thought scornfully, wanting to say it out loud, but not quite daring. Because I knew that type of voice, and it was a voice that could never belong to a human. My arms tightened around Leo automatically. He whined softly in response. So softly that even I could barely hear it, though his lips were only inches from my ear.
He was doing so well, and I was so proud of him, for sure that my little brother was the only 7 year old on earth who could sit for so long and remain quiet.

"Elena?" This was a different voice, also alien, but one I knew. Felix! Good. He got bored easily. We might have some hope in them giving up and leaving after all, I thought, ignoring the part of me that wouldn't believe it so simple.
"Be reasonable Elena." He continued. "You know I like you. Just because your parents were stupid and forced us to execute them, doesn't mean that you have be. It's not too late. You are lucky I have such influence. I can promise you, that if you come quietly now, your little brother wont even be whipped."
My hopes were dashed immediately. If Felix was telling the truth in what he was saying, then it meant he wanted me to be his bed-slave. And that either meant that he was willing to get bored now, because I might amuse him later. Or, that he considered this a game, a hunt, and he was enjoying chasing his prey.
Stupid pervert of a half cat Monster! I would never give us in to them!
Besides, I was not fooled by what Felix had said about Leo either. They may not whip him, but that didn't mean he would go unpunished. There were other things they could do to him. Worse things. And if they caught us now, they would separate us. I'd be lucky if I heard that he survived getting to where ever they sent him.
There was no hope in this world for humans anymore. We had long since lost that war. Its was the Cats who ruled. The best us humans could hope for was to go unnoticed. And that didn't happen often. Cats were nothing if not observant.
Our last chance was Metal City. The last surviving human city in existence. But first we had to get there.

There was one other way out of the room we were in, which wasn't the window the Cats were trying to see us through. I was sure they didn't know of it. But even then, leaving this place would mean leaving the safety of the metal that the place was made of. Metal the Cats couldn't touch, and could barely come near.
Still, I was forced to consider the amount of food we had left, the amount of water. Almost none. We couldn't stay where we were.
Leo turned his head to look up into my eyes. I returned his gaze steadily. His emerald orbs were glistening, almost blind with unshed tears. Then he pushed his face into my collarbone so I couldn't see them brim over. My heart ached, and I felt my resolve tighten. Our parents had given their lives to give us a chance to run, a chance to get to the only place the Cats couldn't follow. I would damn well get us there.
I gave Leo a reassuring pat on the back, then set him down. Under the bed, was a stash of highly-illegal-uber-Cat-law chain mail. I took one out in my size, and one in a size for Leo. But before we put them on, I got out the last of our food and made Leo eat. Taking the last two bites for myself.
Then we got ready to run. Either way, the chase would end today.
The chain mail was extremely light, and wouldn't weigh us down. Leo looked kind of cute in his. "Trap door?" He asked me in a hushed voice. I nodded. His little jaw clenched determinedly. I had already explained our alternatives to him. He knew it was the long way, just as he could see it was now the only way.
I bent down and kissed his brow, and breathed to him, "Run, baby. Okay? Run, and don't stop. No matter what happens." He nodded, gulping.
I checked that my gun was easy to reach, picked Leo up onto my hip, and leapt up over the bed to the other side. Grabbed the almost invisible handle to the trap door there, and swung it open. There was a screech from outside, someone yelling "There's another way out!" I paid it no heed as I jumped into the darkness below. We dropped a good 5 feet before we reached the bottom. I released Leo, and he was off. Tall for his age, the boy could run. Keeping up with me just fine as we crawled down stairs, then along a wider passage that was tall enough for me to stand.
The tunnel continued for what felt like forever until we finally reached the exit. We ran on. Not even checking to see if someone saw us. That was unavoidable, and soon I could hear heavy pursuit behind us. I knew where I was going, and we didn't falter.
We kept ahead of them for a good 30 minutes, and by then I could see the gray shine of Metal City's walls ahead of us. But I could also hear them gaining on us. I took Leo's hand in mine so we couldn't be separated, simultaneously pushing my legs faster. He kept up.
45 minutes and we were almost surrounded. I could see them closing in from all sides. Cursing, I shot at a few of them to keep them at bay. The metal bullets tore through them like fire through paper. They slowed, but did not stop.
50. I grunted, going faster still. Leo was finally having trouble keeping up. I gripped his upper arm, taking most of his weight and lessening the chances he would fall. Pulling him forward. We were so close.
60. We were about a hundred meters from the big bar gates of Metal City. I saw the very human guard see me. He grinned, and gave orders to some unseen people to open the gates enough to let us in.
Suddenly, the Cats all bunched their legs and sprang at us. We were surrounded. 50 or so of the disgusting things. Their yellow eyes glinting, pointed ears pricked to attention, and long tails swinging behind them irritatedly, proud as any banner.
They held long wooden spears with stone points. Made to cut through our mail without them needing to get near it.
"Fuck!" I spat the word. In no mood to watch my tongue.
I lifted my gun, jerking my head at the guard. As he jumped clear, I let rip at the wall standing 2 meters into the gates for just this purpose. I was not the first to use this strategy, and the cats in front of me screamed. If the bullets so much as passed close to them, they hurt. Their flesh becoming puffy and red. They scattered.
"Run!" I shouted it at Leo, but he was already moving. I was on his heals, shooting at any Cats who dared come close.
Then I was falling. My leg pinned to the ground with a well thrown spear. I couldn't move. But I refused to cry out, and Leo didn't pause, making it through the gate. He turned with a wide grin on his face that vanished when he saw I wasn't with him. "No!" He screamed it, about to run back to me. But the guard grabbed him, said to him "You can't." His voice full of sorrow, though he didn't know me.
I was aware of other spears scraping at my armor.

Leo's face was tear streaked, he was sobbing. The guards arm was still wrapped around his waist. Comforting as much as restraining now.
I felt a smile touch my lips. At least he was safe. I mustered up the last of my strength and called to Leo, "Live baby. Live for me."
He screamed. "ELENAAA!!!!" And my world went black.

.....

I woke in a very comfortable bed, and felt my arms tighten unconsciously around Leo. Out the window, I could see the tall metal walls, high and towering over us. We were in Metal City. But how am I here. I didn't know.
Then again, this just might be my own personal heaven.