I groan and try to sit up. A sopping wet cloth falls down my face. I must've had a fever. That dream last night was insane. I was killed by my father's killer's friend and then I woke up in a cage where a creepy wolf-man "was trying to eat me," I mumble aloud.

"If that's what you wanna call it, I won't stop you."

I sit bolt upright and open my eyes. Sitting in a rocking chair staring at me is a handsome guy with long silver hair and gray, pointed ears. His lips are black and black freckles dot his cheeks. His smile shows vampire-looking teeth and his fingernails are thick and sharp like claws. Even with all that it's his eyes that draw me in. One bright blue while the other is so dark it's almost black. He stands and for the first time if notice his tail- it's gray with a white tip. His feet look like dog paws. He wears baggy pants like the creepy-wolf man, but he also wears a shirt. It reminds me of a short Japanese kimono. He leans over me and puts a hand to my forehead. "Looks like you fever's gone," he says. "You hungry?"

I shake my head no, but my stomach betrays me, growling it's traitorous heart out. The man laughs and says, "Lets have some porridge."

I stand up and pain shoots through my ankle. I wasn't too kind yesterday about getting that shackle off. My whole body is sore, but at least this time I'm dressed. I'm wearing those weird pirate pants and kimono thing. I limp over to the table in the tiny kitchen. The place reminds me of the cabin my family used to stay at in New Hampshire. A fireplace roars, a giant iron pot bubbling over it. The Fox-Man stands over a stove cooking eggs. His tail swishes around and I resist the urge to grab it. 

"Who are-" my voice cracks and I realize I'm super thirsty. 

The man turns to me and hands me a glass of water. It feels more like a pitcher in my hands. I always used to be the biggest. Why am I so small in this world?

"I'm Ottar," he says, going back to the eggs. "Who are you?"

It's kinda weird but I trust this guy. He kinda reminds me of dad in a weird way. I decide to tell the truth. "My name is Yang." I then chug the water, as somehow that one sentence seemed to dehydrate me all over again. 

Ottar grabs two bowls from the cubbard and then ladels the porrige into them. He tops them both with two sunny-side up eggs and places the bowls on the table. He hands me a spoon and I dive in like it's Thanksgiving. 

He chuckles at my enthusiasm and begins to eat his porridge. I take breaks only to chug water. By the time I'm done he's barely finished half his meal. I stare at his food hungrily and he chuckles. He gets up and gives me another ladel of porridge with another egg on top. It reminds me of my omma's yachae jook and my eyes betray me, overflowing with tears. I finish the porridge and wipe my face on my sleeve. Ottar acts like he didn't see a thing. "You need more rest, Yang. Go lie down for a bit longer."

I want to protest, but as I stand I can tell he's right. I head back to the bed and close my eyes, dreaming of home.

When I open my eyes it's nightime. Ottar is asleep on a cot near my feet. The fire is low, but not dead. I head over to it, using it's light to try to find a toilet.

"The chamber pot is in the outhouse in the backyard." 

He startled me again. Does this guy ever make any noise? "Thanks," I mutter.

I walk outside and I'm surpirsed that it's so warm. Boston was freezing. We'd had a major snowstorm not two days ago...

I shook my head to clear my thoughts. I wasn't in Boston anymore. Hell, I probably wasn't on Earth anymore. I went into the outhouse and found it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I assumed it would stink like a port-a-john, but it was like a regular bathroom, with a bronze toilet and sink. I washed my hands and headed back outside. This world was so weird. 

I looked out to the forrest and could see the giant creepy tower. It was so big it disapeared into the clouds. Was it magic? Or some kind of device?

I walked back inside and Ottar nodded at me before promptly going back to sleep. I had a million questions, but I guess they could be answered in the morning. I drank a glass of water and went back to bed.

The next time I woke up the sun was out. Ottar was making porridge and eggs again. I guess that's a staple here. I went to the outhouse again. As I was washing my hands I looked in the mirror and it was me except... my ears. The were long and pointy and they twitched as I made faces. I guess I finally understand why Creepy Wolf-Man called me an elf. I ran my hands along them and it tickled. My nose, too, was a bit tinier and slightly upturned. I stepped back and realized my muscular frame was a bit leaner, and my skin was super soft. My eyes, which had always been a warm brown, now contained gold flecks. 

This was too much.

I ran back into the house, and, like a child, threw myself on the bed and wrapped myslef in the blanket. I'm an elf? a TEENAGE elf? In a world of of creepy beast-men... what, just WHAT? I put my head in my hands. 

Ottar ripped the covers off me. "Breakfast time."

After eating I helped Ottar with the dishes. While I cleaned those he took the sheets and blankets out, washing them on a washing board before hanging them to dry from a clothesline. They have toilets that flush but no washing machine? He motions for me to come out with him and I do. We walk to the rice fields and begin to harvest the rice. After about an hour of silence I'm about to burst.

"Who are you? Where are we? What is that tower? Who was the Creepy Wolf-Man? Why was I in a cage? Why am I an elf? What is going on?" I pant, not having taken a breath.

He chuckles. I notice his ears twitch when he laughs. I kinda wanna touch them.

"You know I am Ottar, but I suppose that's not your question. I am Ottar Silverfox, and I am a contarcted farmer. As far as where we are, we are in Doggerton, which is south of the country's capital, Uutontaugh. Our country is called Neardom, and it's one of the five countries of the main continent. The tower is being called The Tower of the Griffin King. From what I've gathered, the king was murdered by his son, the crown prince, and the tower is his revenge. Whoever defeats the tower will become the next Griffin King. The Griffin king rules over all of Adalam."

"What's Adalam?"

He furrows his brow. "Adalam is the world we live in. Even as a slave girl you should have learned that. Hmm..." He scratched his ear, thinking. "Where are you from?"

"Earth, America, Massachussetts, Boston."

"Earthamericamassachussettsboston. I've never heard of it, but most towns in Dordug have long names. Were your previous owners Tiger-Men?"

"I didn't have an owner. I lived with other humans."

"Humans?"

"Yeah, you know, people who look like me, except out ears are short and round instead of long and pointy."

Now I'd really stumped him. "So... you lived with Mouse-Men? I know they live in Norclandia where slavey is very unpopular." I sighed and sat down on the ground. Ottar sat next to me. "So how did you wind up as a slave to a wolf, then?"

"I don't know. One minute, I was in Boston and the next I was waking up in a wooden cage with shackles on my hands and feet. And when I tried to run, he shocked me."

"The slave bond."

"What?"

"The slave bond- a hundred years ago the Griffin King demanded that each country be ruled by one speacies and decided a hierarchy. In Neardrom, The Kazakh Wolf-Men rule. Fox-Men, Cat-Men, Coyote-Men and Rabbit-Men reside here. The Wolf-Men are the dukes and duchesses. Thier army is comprised mainly of Coyote-Men and lesser Wolf-Men. Cat-Men are the traders and merchants, with the occassional Fox-Man who manages to rise throug the ranks. The other Fox-Men are typically tradesmen- farmers, craftsmen, mechanics, the like. The Rabbit-Men are slaves who can be owned by Cat-Men or higher. Do you understand?"

No. "I guess so, but then, what are the slaves used for? You said yourself that the Fox-Men do most of the labour?"

He winced. His ears went back and he took a deep breaath, looking at the sky. "They are either used as maids or concubines. Sometimes both." The way he said it was heartbreaking. 

"Do you know a Rabbit-Man?" I asked timidly.

He smiled sadly. "My little sister."

I looked at him, confused. "But you're a fox?"

He chuckled and patted my head. "I guess that's not how it works where you're from. In this world, and species can mate with another, and ayone can carry a child. My mother was a Fox, but my father was a Rabbit. He was an escaped slave. His master had died suddenly so he had fled, free of his slave-bond."

"You said that before. What is a slave bond?"

"When one person enslaves another, they cast a spell called a slave-bond. It attaches the slave to his master's life force. The spell prevents the slave from harming thier master, disobeying an order, or leaving a certian proximity to thier master. If thier master dies the bond breaks. Still, it's easy for the more powerful species to cast the slave-bond, so even when they escape they're never truly free. The Wolf-Man probably cast it on you while you were sleeping. It's very painful if you fight against it."

No kidding. "So I'm a lesser species then?"

"Well actually you're the only elf in the world. The Griffin King killed them all when he rose to power. Many people believe he feared the elves power."

"What power?"

"I dunno, I'm barely an adult, so it was long before my time. But according to my dad's stories elves had power over nature and animals. Since we Beast-Men are part animal, I believe he feared they would control us. So you don't have powers then?"

"I dunno. Do you?"

"I can do minor illusion magic, time magic and healing magic. Though those mostly only work on plants."

"Is that why you're a farmer?"

"No." He laid back on the grass and closed his eyes. I laid down next to him.

"So why did you become a farmer?" 

"I had to. They caught my father a few years ago. My mother is in prison for the crime of harbouring two fugitives. They took my father and sister. I work for the man who ownes them. As long as I keep a steady supply of food for thier quadrant, my father and sister will remain as maids."

"This world sucks."

He laughed. "I guess it does."

We lay in silence for awhile. His eyes were closed so I studied his face. His skin is pale, with gray forming around his lips, which are a deep black. His eyelashes are long and shimmery and his soft eyebrows match his light gray hair, which flows halfway down his torso. His ears turn in my direction, listening sleepily.

"Why did you save me?" I whispered.

"Because I could."

"Then why do you keep helping me?"
"Because you remind me of my sister."

"Tell me about her."

He opened his eyes and looked at me. The one bright blue, the other pitch black. Disconcerting. Beautiful. He looked away. "She was beautiful. She had long black hair and short black bunny ears. She had blue eyes that always sparkled with mischief. They say foxes are the clever ones, but I could never keep up with her. She was always pulling pranks and making jokes. It was never quiet." He sighed, lost in his memories.

"What was her name?"

"Vaka."

I thought about Vaka, the little Rabbit girl. And Ottar, the helpless big brother. Adalam, Neardom- they were all awful. How could this world be so cruel?

"What about the Tower?"

"What about it?"

"How do you defeat it?"

He looked at me like I was crazy and then laughed. "It's unbeatable, that's the point. It's full of monsters and crazy trials. You have to defeat over 500 trials just to reach the top, and then you would have to compete against the Griffin Prince who has defeated entire armies by himself! It's stupid, suicidal, even." 

I smiled. "Could the Griffin King abolish slavery?"

He looked at me incredously. "Oh no. Oh, nuh nuh nuh nuh no. You are not going into to the tower. Can you even hold or sword? Or cast a single spell? Plus, everyone in there will either want to kill you enslave you and those are just the other competitors!"

I sat there, smiling at him. "You could teach me."

"Teach you what? How to die?"

"Magic! And sword fighting," I added hastily. He looked at me, his face chaing between frustration, disbelief and hope. "We could end slavery, and the class system and you could have your family back," I taunted. His face strained with effort not to speak. "You could even make Vaka a princess."

That was it. "Fine. But if you can't use any magic by the end of the week you become farmhand. Deal?"

"Deal!" I shouted, and rolled around in the grass in excitement. I stopped once I was breathless. "So, uh," I panted, "how do you use magic?"

His wicked smile scares me.

To be continued...