Themsunhadjustpeekedoverthehorizonwheirredawake.Risingearlywasahabitingrainedinhersincechildhood.Oneshecouldn''''''''tshake,evenafterfourteenyearslivingamonghumans.
AsMoxihadooldher,somethichedintoherverygenes.Ungeable.
Whatwasthatwain?
Ah,right.Instinct.
Reya''''''''searliestmemaditch.
Backthen,shedidn''''''''tevenhaveaname.ReyawaswhatLutergaveher.
Whenhereyesfirstopeheworldwasablur.Herfrailbodywascoatedinawarm,stickyfluidthatgunfortablytoherskin.Thesurroundingswerequiet,serehswayingshadowsoftrees.Notfaraale,human-shapedsilhouetteymotionlessinthegrass.
Astrangebird''''''''scrysuddenlypiercedtheair,andherfragilelittlebodytrembled.Drivenbyinstinct,shecrawledtowardthatsilhouette.
Thefewstepstookay.Twigsandgravelscrapedherdelicateskin,leavingtrailsofclearfluidbehind.
Atst,shecurledupbesidethefemalecorpseahenightthere.
Thatwomanhadbeenher"mother".OrsoReyahadalwaysbelieved.Likeeverynewborureinthisworld,thefirstimageimprinteduponherbecameindelible.
ItwasthesamewithLu.Hehadbeeher"father".
Herslenderlegsslippedfrombehesheets,barefeetsinkingintotheplushrug.Shecastagncebackatthepristiebedding,asifstnight''''''''sstrugglehadneverhapp