Untameable

Chapter One

I tore through the forest, my feet scrambling to catch up to the black panther just ahead. It weaved in and out of the trees gracefully, always staying 10 paces ahead. My heart pounded in my chest, I couldn't lose it, it was mine. Each time my feet touched the ground, the word shot through my head, mine, mine, mine, mine, mine, until I wasn't just thinking it but whispering it, and then screaming it. It only seemed to make my target speed up. I tired fast, my feet beginning to stumble through the branches and leafs, until finally I tripped. The ground rushed up to meet my face, my hands shot out, preparing myself for the fall. At the same time my head snapped up, keeping the panther in sight. Pain flashed through my body as I slammed to the ground but I ignored it, watching with fear as it grew more and more distant until it started to blend with the shadows.

"NO", I screamed at it, feeling utterly hopeless.

My heart missed a beat as the shadow's fast retreat paused, it seemed to turn, I inhaled sharply as I caught a flash of sapphire blue in the dark. I watched its approach with my heart in my throat, each step seemed to take forever. Finally it paused, about a pace in front of me, lowering its large head, its sapphire blue eyes bored into mine, as though it could see straight through to my soul. I slowly pulled myself up from the forest floor until I was sitting kneeling before it.

"Mine", I whispered, my stormy grey eyes filled with wonder.

Feeling triumphant, I stretched out a shaking hand getting closer and closer, I was so clo-

"CASSIE!", my mom shouted from downstairs.

I sat up quickly, my eyes flashing open to scan the room, my room. My blanket slid off, revealing a slender frame, and a flat chest, my silk blue pyjamas clung to me with sweat. I let out a groan and flopped back on my bed.

It was just a dream", I told myself sternly, but it hadn't felt like a dream, it never did.

Stop torturing yourself,

  I thought angrily, not long to wait now. A smile tugged at my lips as I dreamed about the possible future.

"Cassie? You awake?", a voice said from behind my door, interrupting my daydreaming.

I sighed, raised my head and glared at the wooden door unhappily.

"No!", I replied icily and flopped back on my pillow, squeezing my eyes closed.

A sigh came from behind the door and there was a couple of minutes of silence, probably she was hoping Id be feeling guilty in treating her so bad and apologize - not likely. There was a light knock - as though I didn't already know she was there. The door opened and my mom walked in, looking so easily beautiful that it was hardly fair on the rest of us. I glowered at her sullenly, she had long blonde wavy hair, blue eyes and a sweet personality. People never realized that we were related, with my stormy grey eyes, long black hair and short-tempered personality, we were as different as was possible. Needless to say this caused a lot of arguments in our house - and that's not even mentioning the sibling rivalry I had going with my twin brother. Sitting on the edge of my bed, my mom regarded me sadly.

"How long is this going to keep up?", she said mournfully, as though I was the one in the wrong.

I glowered at her hatefully, "as soon as you change your mind about me going to school with.. Humans!", I spat, feeling disgusted at the very thought of it.

" I don't know where you get this hatred, we aren't any better or worse than anyone else, your brother doesn't have a problem with it, the Elders wont be happy with you defying their orders", she said in confusion and reproach.