The Flame under the Moonlight

Chapter One ~ Riley

"Hm... what's the capital of Maine?"

I turned to look at my Father as he spoke, blinking as I came back to myself. I had been gazing out the window, watching the landscape go by, as I always did. Delilah and Soren were passed out in the back, and Dad was looking at me, an eyebrow quirked. He was waiting for my answer. I blinked.

"Repeat?" I asked, rubbing my hand through my hair. My fingers caught in several knotted dark brown strands, and I sighed, letting my hand drop. My brush was buried somewhere in the mess of bags in the back, as it wasn't in my 'carry on' draw string I always kept at my feet.

"Capital of Maine," He repeated in the same tone, turning to look back at the road. Not that he needed to - Dad had an extreme sixth sense. He could probably drive the Black ford pick up with his eyes shut; he would know what speed he was going, and if he was on the road or not. He also had the ears of a hawk.

"Um," I paused, also turning to look away from him and out the road ahead of us. An empty out-there thru-way, a simple two lane road that stretched on for forever. At the sides of the roads, dark pines ruled the land. "Augusta." I finally spit out, the wheels in my head slowing down as they threw out the word. "Is that where we're going?"

Another thing about Dad - whenever we went somewhere (which happened a LOT, mind you) he never tells any of us where we're going. It was annoying, to say the least.

But, after fifteen years of living with a stubborn donkey of a Father, you get used to his rules.

"Maybe," Was his only reply, as one hand left the steering wheel and dropped to the radio. He pressed buttons without looking, settling on an older alternative rock station that was playing "Perfect" by My Darkest Days. His hand returned to the steering wheel, and began drumming along to the song.

I just let out a sigh, and go back to leaning against the cool window. The song wasn't loud or obnoxious enough to bother either of the kids in the back, and was plenty mellow enough to shut my eyes to.

*

Her eyes. Why are they trained on me? Where am I?

I look around. It's all dark, and dread is creeping into my system. Dark hasn't scared me since I was five. Why am I so scared? Where's Dad?

The eyes are still on me. They're completely silver, and they're the only source of light in the deep dark. I find myself lost in them, and my heart is racing.

Light starts pouring in from an unknown source, and her eyes aren't the only thing visible now. The long, furry snout of a wolf has accompanied the eyes, along with a stretching forehead, reaching up into the dark with rusty-brown and black spotted ears.

Detail starts to come in, as if someone is drawing a picture in front of me. I can see her whiskers now, and every line of fur on her shaggy face. Her eyes seem to sink, holding my gaze, and I find myself staring into them as detail is drawn around us.

When I can look away, I realize the echoing dark has ended. We're in a field now, with grass stretching up to my ankles. I can't see my feet. When I look up to look at the surroundings, I find trees bordering the field of thick grass and flowers. A large circle, and the autumn colored wolf and I are in the middle of it.

The wind is blowing, but I can't feel it. I should hear the chirping of bugs, I know, and the rustling of the golden, orange and green leaves. But there is silence.

"Be warned, Reesefolk." I turn my attention back to the wolf, where the sound seemed to emit from. She is beautiful, I realize. Her coat shines brilliantly, like a flame beneath the white light.