Okay guys, this is K.A.P. I have been working on this fan-fic off and since September, and finally I am ready to post chapter 1! I need honest feedback, like please! If you don't like something or think something could be better, please let me know! Complete honesty, I want to be a writer so I need to know if you think I could be...okay that being said, Enjoy!!!

Screams ripped through the frosty air around him. Screeches drifted on the driving wind above him. Mothers clutched their young and scurried for cover. Bucks shouted, does cried, and children screamed. His playmates had long since scattered in terror. Terrors that’s what they were, these winged monsters above, but he stood in the middle of it unable to move. He gazed up at the sky and the black winged monster there. So many they seemed to block out the sun, it fascinated him. Oh, not the creatures themselves no, those terrified him. He only wondered how it was that they glided above, that they somehow could fly? He pulled his coat tighter about him and gazed on. The winter afternoon was cold and relentless, not too many rabbits were outside, but even less now that the terrors had arrived. He knew down in the burrows below it would be warm from the coal fires that blazed, but he couldn’t go down, not right now, he had to watch.

“Kyter! Kyter, where are you lad?” He heard the urgent calls of his father, but he didn’t move. As if he was frozen to the ground by the cold air around, he stood rooted to his spot, mesmerized. How did they do it? How did they fly? As he watched the archers sent up a volley of arrows to meet and end the sky-born raiders. Many arrows missed as the monsters dipped and swerved, but others found their marks which sent the huge monsters spiraling towards the frozen earth at unimaginable speeds. He watched on his young mind full of awe. To be miners the bucks of Kingston sure knew how to put up a fight, of course, they had learned from the best. A small grin tugged at the corners of Kyter’s mouth as he thought about it.

His father, Lord Fleck Blackstar, was a hero and the founder of Kingston. After boldly saving King Whitson Marnier and many others from the first raptor attack, known as the Battle of Ayman lake, his father had been promoted to lord and given the responsibility of keeping the coal mine of Kingston running. Kyter was proud of his father and what he had done, but currently more fascinated with the deadly birds above him. They came from the high bleaks attacking every so often, many times failing to do anything and other times leaving dead or wounded rabbits in their wake. Sometimes rabbits disappeared entirely, especially younglings.

Wait… why was he standing out here in the open? His solid black fur would make him an easy target amid all the white snow. His eyes widened at the thought, but in that moment, he felt something pick him up. He gasped. Too late!

Then he heard his father’s voice, “It’s okay, Kyter, I have you.” He relaxed in his father’s arms, laying his head against his father’s shoulder, it was okay. That was reassuring. Sometimes he didn’t know about himself, he was kind of different, he thought. Not quite as different, perhaps, as his friend Forsythe who was a little older than him, but different all the same. His fascination with things that could fly was definitely different, since most rabbits ran in terror, but he stood in awe. Forsythe on the other hand was terrified of birds and instead had a strange fascination with lines. The buck could literally draw lines all day. He said they were maps, but Kyter was pretty sure they were just lines, let Forsythe give them a fancy name if he wanted too. They looked just like lines to Kyter.

As his father carried him towards the warren, he looked over his father’s shoulder. The area around the mine entrance was littered with rocks, which soiled the white snow that lay everywhere else. Here and there trenches in the snow showed where the raptors had fallen. He saw that the remaining birds were retreating. Gone again, but they would come back, yes, they would come back. They always did.

Once inside their warm burrow, which was not decked out in the finest, on the contrary it was a modest burrow like the others, his father set him down in a chair. His older sister, Jaylee sat at the table and his mother was busy in the kitchen. The smell of baking bread drifted to him and he smiled. Both, his mother and sister, had sighed with relief when he and his father came in. His father then unbuttoned Kyter’s coat and looked him over, seeing no wounds he smiled.

Kyter smiled back his grey eyes wide as he said, “There were a lot of them this time dad. I mean a whole lot! I tried to count but there were way too many and I was too busy watching them. I was just wondering if you were guessing, how do you think they fly? I mean there has to be a way they do it, they make it look so effortless too. But the reason I want to know is that I want to fly too, it looks fun.”

Jaylee giggled, and his mother looked nervous. “They have wings Kyter, you don’t. Rabbits were meant to stay on the ground, in burrows, happy and safe.” His father said shaking his head as he stood.

“But King Whitson built boats and rabbits used those, so if we made a way to fly couldn’t we use those as well? I mean if we could fly, we could… I mean could you imagine the possibilities. I mean just think… I mean to one day… I mean…” His father laughed shaking his head. “What?” Kyter asked, breaking off his train of thought.

“You mean and mean to do a lot of things,” His father said, heading out the door as he added, “I mean to get to the mine. Then I mean to be home for dinner. Then I mean to go to bed.” His father winked at him.

Kyter frowned, so what if he meant to a lot of things, he was young there was still time. He waved goodbye to his dad and looked at his mom, she was cutting veggies up for stew. Oh, stew was his favorite, especially the one with lots of carrots, potatoes, and onions, but not celery, he hated when his mother put celery in the stew. His mother was a shimmering gold color, with dancing grey eyes, much like his own, and a face that was always ready to smile.

He sniffed the air again and let out a contented sigh as he said, “I smell stew, my favorite. What kind is it?” Secretly he was hoping to find out if it had celery in it or not, that was all he really cared to know.

His mother smiled. “Carrots, potatoes, onions, a few herbs, and some celery.” Kyter frowned.

“Sounds delicious,” Jaylee said, “Celery is my favorite.”

“Yuck!” Kyter said sticking his tongue out, “How can you like that stuff? It taste horrible and it’s all stringy.” He wrinkled his nose in disgust.

Jaylee laughed, her green eyes crinkling. Her fur was a soft grey color, flecked with gold, and she had a cute little dark grey spot around one eye. Kyter didn’t laugh with her, celery was no laughing matter.

Jaylee then looked at him and said, “Me and Marie are going to the Gathering Chamber tomorrow to watch the trades, do you want to come? Marie is asking Forsythe; she says he’ll come and probably stand over the mappers guild the whole time.” Jaylee rolled her eyes.

Marie was Forsythe’s twin sister, unidentical twin. Where Forsythe was a rocky grey, Marie was a vibrant red. Where his eyes were brown and calm, her’s were blue and wild. They were as opposite as you could get in a set of twins. He nodded it couldn’t hurt to go, maybe he would have a good time.

Honesty please! Hope you liked it!

K.A.P.