The haflings

Curse

Atari was blessed with a power.  She was a halfling. A hafling was a unique beast that was half animal. She was born to normal parents. She was not their only problem. She had a twin sister named Zara. From their birth they where singled out to be different. For one they where both born with fangs.  Zara was inhumanly fast and Atari could kill, disable, or maim anyone she wanted to without injuring herself in any way. Their parents were horrified when they gave birth to the monsters is what they and the whole town called them. When the twins where one their parents gave them away to a caravan that bought and sold children like them. The twins where put under the care of a man named Than. Than was a mean man that cared about money and not the twins health. He would cut off their food and water so that the rest of the money he was given to feed them so he could keep the rest. On the sixth week of their travel they where taken to see the leader of their little clan. His name was Zatara He was wearing long robes like he was a king with a long beard. " Are these the two?" he asked. " Yes sir" said Than.  " They look skinny......too skinny." sniffed Zatara. " They will grow" muttered Than.  " What was that" Zatara asked. " Nothing" murmured Than looking at his feet. "Great everything is in order they will be kept as my body guards until we sell them. Both girls snapped their heads up in shock. Zatara continued talking " We will cut through the woods to make it faster into town." Than snapped to attention " Which woods....sir" he gulped. " Do not be stupid we will go through the half woods." Than sputtered "S s s sir you k k k know what t t th they say those that enter never come b b b back." " So tell the men to prepare to cross tomorrow afternoon. Leave the girls with me. " Yes sir" muttered Than. He left leaving the girls with his leader. " Sit eat." Zatara said to the twins. The twins sat and ate the grapes and cheese that was set before them. " Why is Than so scared to go through the Half woods?" asked Atari.  " Than is superstitious he believes that their are certain beings that live in the woods that are..........inhuman in a way." Zatara answered. " How so" asked Zara. " Some say that there are people there that used to be normal  like you and us but they say that they have absorbed an animal spirit." " Sir I have a confession I'm not normal." said Atari as her eyes flickered red.