Doublesight by Terry Persun

father's head severed by some monstrous human, my mother's back slashed as she tries to escape, my sister stabbed in the back while running toward me. The images are stuck in my head.”
    “How ruthless humans can be when they are fearful,” Arren said.
    “Fearful? Of what? Doublesight are the least dangerous among them. And in Brendern Forest? You'd think of all places for the doublesight to be safe it would be here, especially thylacines. I think these humans came from another place. Sclan perhaps, or Weilk. Much of Weilk are warriors from the Sclan battles. There is still much trouble along Torturous Road leading between Castle Weilk to the Weilk Stronghold.”
    “Doublesight have not always been so peaceful. There was a time when you and I may have fought to the death,” Arren said.
    “We are both predators and prey,” Brok said.
    “We are, I admit. Do you wonder if the doublesight are having an uprising? Are The Few behind any of this? Why else would humans from another land come into the Brendern Forest? Wouldn't Kurstom have his own guards planted?”
    Brok huffed. “You may be right.”
    “About the guards?”
    “About the fear.” Brok searched Arren's eyes for the reason the man visited him. “Thylacines can be frightening animals if at every turn you run into one. Have you ever seen a thylacine take down a deer? A bear? If so, you wouldn't want to allow your children to run free.”
    “These men knew you were doublesight. It sounds as though the attack was planned to me,” Arren said. “If I were you, I'd want to avenge my family's deaths.”
    “I thought you believed they didn't die?”
    “I said, ‘If I were you’ that's what I'd do. You are the one haunted by the images.”
    “What about avenging your clan? How many died?” Brok stood above Arren. “Twenty? Fifty? They may have changed realms, but they are not here. Even you admit that you can't talk with your dead.You can't put your arm across his shoulder. Don't you want revenge against your attackers?”
    Arren reached out and gripped the stone that Brok held a few minutes ago. He slammed it into the ground, and a few buffalo jumped and trotted farther away. His teeth clenched and his jaw set. “Yes, I'd like to see them dead. Does that surprise you? Doublesight are the peaceful ones, it is said, but that does not mean that we are dead inside. That does not mean that we must sit back and accept whatever fate befalls us.” Arren stood to meet Brok's gaze. “Oro is getting old. Zora was reckless. The way she wanted to run the clan would have us all dead. And Zimp.” He stopped and looked away. “We were not well organized. We set no guards most nights. The warning signs were everywhere.”
    Brok remained silent. He waited for Arren to say what he came to say.
    “The crow clan needs a warrior leader, not a sensitive woman too weak to look you in the eye,” he said.
    “But Zimp has powers.”
    “She turns them all inside. She forgets tradition. You saw that she didn't even have a sacred candle with her. And then, to mock our dance by not participating? If she loved her twin, she'd welcome her into the next realm. No. Zimp is a danger to us all. She would have us all killed with her lack of concern for anyone but herself. No different than her sister.” Arren took a deep breath. “If she were only gone.”
    “Killed?” Brok said.
    “Just gone. I don't care how.”
    Brok tightened his brow and stepped back. “You want me to kill her?”
    “No, no, that's not it at all. I just want her gone. Oro will be unable to lead. She's unable to lead now. Zimp can't lead. If you challenged her, showed everyone that she doesn't have it in her.” Arren quieted. “I'm not proud of this. But we're vulnerable. Do you feel safe with us?” He turned to leave, then swung back and said, “I would be your greatest asset in finding the people who killed your family. All Oro is concerned with is the council and the call of The Few. They are not so