Burnt..gone..Pushing out from beneath the charred, still form, all Grange could smell and see was the black and grey darkness swirling in the hot wind..

'Beastchild'..it had begun with.

Mataer had fled to the north for her child. 'Beget in violence, stilled in silence. That's what the Elders would have done as soon as you were born', Grange had heard Mataer say once, whispered into the wind. ' but they didn't understand Grange, you must forgive them, someday may Blessed Illheama show them truth'. Mataer forgave, loved, revered all and nature, she almost had been a tribe Druid until..

Grange had never met any of the others..Mataer would travel for days sometimes returning with goods exchanged for her wares. Grange had to fix, mend, forage, hunt for their home.

It was the dogs he heard first, not like Daema and Padrae the frequent wolf visitors to Mataer. Hungry, lusting, hunting dogs..they picked up his scent easily..Mataer oft said she didn't know why she bothered bathing him..soon he was running, stumbling, blind. Many dark running shapes of men, screaming, whistling , arrows, torches and flames.

Grange didn't know how he ended up back at the cabin, home. Mataer was there, crying,praying, inside it was getting warmer - Mataer was getting cooler, soft dark silence.

Grange crawled through the empty ruin, darker than the midnight sky. He heard the soft solid hooves approach. No Mataer no light..he didn't care. Looking up, a lazy arbritrary thought floated across his dulled conscience - 'how can a horse carry so much metal?'

A voice cracked across the silence - 'By TromShield Brother Aadear what DO we have here?'

The Clerics had seen the smoke passing on their Journey's. Maybe something in Grange's eyes, or his innocence had stayed their judgement, and their weapons.

The Clerics took him in, Trained them as one of their own, bemused at Grange's tenacity with their tasks and tests at first, and then amazed at the intuititive insights Grange displayed not normally associated with his, other heritage.

Grange learned much from the Brothers, but he never forgot the love and teachings of Mataer. There is much blindness, and ignorant hatred in this world. But there is also great beauty, which must be cherished, when here, and protected.

Sometimes Grange thinks of returning to the southern lands, his birthland. To find his heritage, he remembers Mataer and forgives. For now he wishes to sow the kindness the Brothers gave to him..he tries to forgive the others."

Grange is a Cleric - who's realms might include Battle, Strength, Protection - even nature.