"Fawn (Part 2)" by Frances Monro

It was day time when they came across the border, the Scavengers, the men with swords, and then the killing started. You could see the flash of the swords, hear the boom of the cannon. Everything was burning, they set fire to everything, I ran away and hid in the woods.

They said we had broken the pact, so they killed, they raped, they looted, they tortured. And they took slaves, so many were enslaved that day. The Guardians and Scouts tried to fight them, but their numbers were diminished from previous conflicts and spear and sword could not stand against cannon and massed volleys of musket fire. Many died. The remainder retreated and built a barricade around the Mother's tree and prepared to fight to the death.

The Scavengers rampaged over the island, destroying everything, raping and looting and enslaving to their heart's content and then more, it seemed like it would never stop. The sack went on for three days and three nights. I hid in the woods and fled whenever anyone came near.

Sated in their lust for blood and loot the Scavengers had no stomach for a bitter fight to the death with the remaining Guardians. Tyshawn agreed to a "peace" on his terms: The Ferals could keep their stockade around the tree as long as we agreed to live in a cage.

I continued to hide in the woods, emerging to graze by night. The Scavengers began rebuilding, starting with a jail for their prisoners. I cried when they pulled down the Temple, dumping the stones into the sea. I began to speak to their slaves, trying to organise a rebellion, an act of peaceful resistance, refusing without violence to work for the oppressors. It was a terrible failure, and people died. All resistance was crushed, I was caught and thrown in prison.

Scavenger prison is terrible, repressive, soul crushing. Every day is a routine of cruelty designed to break the spirit. Prisoners are forbidden to look at jailers, they must keep their eyes on the ground at all times or suffer a beating. Prisoners are denied food, denied clothes, denied sleep, denied any shred of human value... Even when they're not being tortured or interrogated.

Early in my time in prison I came to a realisation: I could stop eating and end the suffering, or I could survive. So many had died in the struggle. I saw so many die or be executed in prison. I wanted to die but my Mother would not let me: She told me I had to live for the sake of so many who had died, and to remember them.

Gradually it became apparent that I was pregnant. I was terrified that I would loose the babies, but actually the punishments decreased and they started feeding me more. One day when I'd been there about six months they released me. They didn't way way just said get out and pushed me through the door, leaving me blinking in the bright sunlight. I could hardly believe the outside world was still there, my world had become little and dark, hemmed in by bars and iron regulations and beatings.

I ran up the hill and through the market and banged on the doors of the stockade and they let me in. I was home...?

Author's Note: These events occurred about two years after the events of Fawn's story, which ended with her washing up on the shore of the Holy Island. In that time she had two children, Ashara and Isis who were evacuated from the island before the invasion.