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It has been so long since I've spoken of my past... I am Alin Raven, son of Tarin Raven, the great high mage of Arca and Alhilia Raven. Growing up for me was normal, I'd go out to play in the woods, I'd come home dirty and I'd get a lecture about how I should keep my fur clean. After a few years, my mother began to teach me how to use the pan pipes, a simplistic yet beautiful instrument. She taught me just the basics of Bardic Music, like aiding in plant growth and making smaller, less intelligent creatures dance for me. I grew fond of those pipes and after learning them I'd go out to the woods and simply play. As I played it seemed the nature around me danced in wonderment and excitement to my tunes! I continued hoping that it'd never end, but unfortunately, it wouldn't last long.

I remember the night the incident happened. My mother was tucking me into bed and suddenly, there was a bang at the door and voices all around the downstairs. My mother would tell me to stay in bed whilst she saw what had happened. She flung the door open and I would never believe my eyes. A Dark figure stood over the bloodied body of my father.

I Couldn't see the man infront of him, all I heard was my father yelling to my mother, "Take Alin.... Take Alin and run!" as he levitated one if his rings to my mother's gentle paws.

I still remember his last words... "Alin... Must survive.." and with that, the figure burried his sword into my father's heart, silencing him forever. My mother acting quickly, closed the door and locked it, then barracading it with my dresser. She then chanted something in a low sort of hum that I couldn't understand as she placed the ring on my finger, as it shrank to fit my size. Just as she finished the door started to give in to whatever was wanting enterence.

With that, my mother took a small bag, the very bag she carried her pan pipes, saying, "Follow the path that leads down to the river in which I showed you how to make the Rats Dance, I will meet you there later... now Run Alin... Run as fast as your little legs can carry you!" I jumped onto the roof of the porch and then gently jumped down from there without a scratch. From there I ran into the woods like instructed until I heard a loud BANG just behind me. I stopped to find that my mother had been thrown through the door with such force, it slammed against the outter wall of the house. As she lay upon the ground lifeless, I noticed one thing amiss about her, a Dagger that was stuck in her breast, burried in her heart. In fear I ran farther, I saw her dead body, but I refused to believe it, I knew she would keep her promise...

For three days I waited for her. Three long and grueling days. That was when I came to realization that she wasn't coming, I was left all alone. I tried to take the ring off and cast it into the river, cursing it for reminding me of my parents, but it would not budge. I had no other choice but to open the bag, with tears filling my eyes I looked what was inside. Not only were my mother's pan pipes inside, but a small piece of bread. Having not eaten in three days, I found myself peckish and ate the bread hastily, as a starving child would. I washed the bread down with water from the river, and found myself having no choice but to play. I wet my lips gently and began to play what I felt in my heart. Alone, scared, forgotten, I was merely a boy on his own in a world that's unforgiving and unrelenting. As I played, nature around me seemed to felt my sorrow, the trees began to droop in sadness, the wolf would howl at the feeling of abandonment. After I finished playing, there was a strange clapping coming from behind me. There stood a young half man-half goat thing I've never seen before.

"Do not be afraid my child" it said to me gently. "I heard your tune from afar and I came to admire it, as I feel your pain..." he would say.

"Who... who are you?" I would ask hesitantly.

"Oh a thousand pardons" he said, "I am Pan and I am here to help my boy. For your music has touched my heart and my soul, as well as the heart and soul of this forest." and with that, he placed a photograph within my bag, but I couldn't see what he put into it.

I trained with Pan for 15 years of life, learning to play music, learning to defend myself, he even taught me how to harness bits of power from the ring my mother gave me. Upon the day I turned 20 I finally finished my training. Pan told me this and kissed my forhead, which turned my head fur into a wonderous shade of red, that wasn't there before. I then found myself in a familiar town, but unfortunately, I had no outer wearings, so I had to hide away into the alleyway and find some clothing. After finding some old pants no one wore with a huge hole in them, which I quickly patched up by using some of my magic to summon the necissary materials.

From there, I wondered the streets, hearing of the latest of the king's decrees, against something called "Tail Raising." I at the time had no idea what it had meant, but I was curious. I had also heard of a refuge from such things known as the "Tail Underground" I found myself at it's front doorstep and made my way in. I made my way to the bar and asked for the owner of it.

"What would you have of the owner?" the tender asked.

"I wish to find a job, I need a place to stay and food to eat after all."

With that, we made a bet, I bet the tender that I would make the entire tavern literally throw money at the tender for a drink. He accepted and showed me where the stage was. I looked and found only one single patron within the bar. I though I was done for, but I began playing anyhow. I used the magic from the ring to aid in my playing and sure enough, the Camel would stand up and pay out his tab, but also left some extra as a tip. It was at that point that he revealed himself to me as Ian Soulfox and as the owner of the Tail Underground. He set me up within the dressing room with a place to stay and would feed me as long as I performed for everyone in the tavern.

The young bear smiled as the focus finally shifted off of him, "and that's how it's been for seven years since... I've lived here with Ian and now... I've met you Hiei."

The young rabbit, dressed in his Kimono, blushed as they sat at the piano and ran his paws gently over the Keys, "My, that is a long and interesting story Alin..." he said.

Alin Nodded softly, "Indeed... I've a long life ahead of me too."

Hiei then looked over to the bear and blinked, "But there's one thing I wanna know... That picture... what was it of?"

The bear scratched his chin and looked back to Hiei, "You mean the one Pan gave me?" he asked. The young rabbit smiled and nodded with glee, hoping to learn what was on it. "Alright..." he said gently and went for his pouch, "I'll show you." He pulled out the photograph as Hiei looked at it. It was a picture of Alin and his family in a happier day when they were still alive.

Hiei blinked a bit, "Are those... your parents?" he asked.

Alin nodded softly and replaced the picture, "And to this day... I've still no idea how he got his hands on it either..." The two of them then sat there, in a quiet silence, just enjoying each other's company, but there was still one more story yet to be told...