Trials Under The Moon

Zoe - 2

        The sour tang of filth and garbage snuck into my nose, filling my lungs with rotten air. A few struggled coughs escaped my throat as I opened my eyes. I was laying on damp hay, and from the smell, it was immediately evident that there was mold here. My head was killing me. With my left hand I reached for my temple, pushing myself up from the ground with my right arm. It was dark, but I could tell by the sounds and flowing wind that I was still outside. In a barn perhaps. That would explain the hay, and the smell.

          A throat was cleared in front of me, and my eyes flew open too quickly to see who was there. My vision blurred and tried to adjust, I was light headed, blinking frantically.

          "Oh, I'm so sorry! I tried not to scare you!" squeaked a shy voice. "I've just been waiting for you to wake up."

          She was so small. Not just in size, but her shape, her body, even her voice was small. A few lanterns lit the room, and I could faintly make out some of her features. Sitting down next to me, she seemed about my height, 5'0, maybe closer to 5'2. Her frame was so slender and lean like she hadn't eaten in a while. Parted down the middle and split into two braids, her auburn brown hair didn't fall too far past her collar bones. With her pale skin, and sunken blue eyes, I wouldn't have guessed she was even alive, had she not spoken to me.

          "Where am I?" I finally asked.

          "Oh, you didn't know? Well, I guess you couldn't. You were knocked out when Damien brought you in here. You're in the tier 3 omega resting area. I'm Zoe, what's your name?"

          Damien? I didn't recognize that name at all. And then everything came back to me. Where I had been, what had happened and whom I was with. Panic.
          I jumped up from the ground while keeping my eyes on Zoe, "Where is Avery? What pack am I in? How long have I been asleep?!"

          Zoe's crystal eyes widened and she began to visibly shake. Her hands flew up to protect her face as she cried, "I -I don't know who Avery i-is. You- you're the only one who was brought in today. You've been asleep for about 12 hours. A-and we're in Black Moon territory." Tears started to slide down her cheeks.

          "Black Moon?" It can't be true. Please don't let it be true. "Why did they bring me here?" I tried to sound less aggressive. If I scared her, she might not give me any answers. The young girls shoulders relaxed and she wiped her nose with her sleeve before sniffling, "All I know is that Black Moon was planning on invading the NorthSide Pack. And then Damien carried you into the barn saying you had a head injury, and I was to monitor you."

          More of reality began to sink in. My pack. My family. My home. It was gone. And Avery... I had to find her.

          I knelt back down to where Zoe sat on the ground. "There was another girl with me when I was taken. Do you know where she could be?"

          Her head shook slowly, "No. I'm sorry. It was just you this time."

          "This time?" I wondered. "What do you mean this time?"

          "Black Moon has been -"

          "HELLO runts!" A loud heavy voice interrupted Zoe's explanation.

          A heavy switch was flipped and several harsh lights illuminated the large barn that we were in. Zoe and I had been sitting in just one of the stalls that no doubt was originally intended for a horse or cow or something. My eyes squinted at the sudden blinding and buzzing light. A short stocky woman in a tattered apron stood at the front of the open barn doors. Her hair was twisted into a braided bun and there was a wooden spoon in her left hand.