The Beasts Within

Chapter 4

   AJ dashed through the forest with great agility. She was good at not running into trees or tripping over roots. She knew the forest like the back of her hand, since she lives in it.

   She jumped over a bush, trying to get away from something that was chasing her. The figure started to catch up. Two yards away. 1 yard away. A foot away. She tried to speed up, but it was no use. The figure pounced at AJ.

   "Crap!" AJ started to laugh as she looked up at the figure above her. "You caught me... again." Artemis, her sisters wolf, stood above her, it's head high. The wolf stepped off of AJ  and allowed her to stand.

   "It's late, let's start heading back." AJ started to head towards home, Artemis right behind her. As she walked through the trees, she saw blueberries growing on a bush. She decided to take them, it would make a great dessert.

   After a bit of walking, they finally made it to a little cottage. She walked inside. Right as she entered, a small creature ran at her. It jumped up onto AJ's shoulder. AJ wasn't even fazed by the surprise attack. It happened everyday. AJ laughed and pet the small kitten on her shoulder. "Love you too, Noire," she said as she walked farther into the small house.

   She entered the kitchen to find her sister making dinner. Artemis charged up to Sky and licked her face. Sky turned around to pet the pup. "Hi, AJ," she said as Artemis licked her. I waved to her. "How did it go?" She looked down to see the victorious look on the wolf's face. She laughed.

   "I did better than yesterday..." AJ looked over at Sky.

   "That's good, I guess." She gave AJ a smug look.

   "When will dinner be ready, I'm starving," AJ said, trying to change the subject. "I got something for dessert." AJ laid the berries on the table.

   "Great! Dinner should be ready in about ten minutes." Sky got up to start mixing the food in the pot. "Go get cleaned up." AJ nodded and headed upstairs.

                                 ~~~

   It was all silent, except for the light sound of her feet in the snow. Small walked fell from the sky, making it hard to see. She then heard a faint cry. Not one from a human, but from an animal. She walked slowly towards the noise. The cry was getting louder. Suddenly, she saw it. A black cat with intense blue eyes. The girl noticed that the mother looked really weak, so she went near it to try to warn it up.
   She fell asleep there, and in the morning, the cat had died from the cold. The girl then noticed something new. The cat had been protecting a kitten from the cold. The small cat looked up at her...

   AJ awoke, sweat rolling down her forhead. She's had many memories from her past come back to her. Those were the times that she wanted to forget. She hated her old life, but then she was given a second chance. A chance to live her own life. That's when she met Sky, and she took AJ in as a little sister. She also let AJ keep Noire. AJ was grateful to Sky for that.

   AJ got out of bed, still a bit shaken from the dream, even though she has them almost daily. She walked out of her room and into the kitchen and found Sky already eating.

   Sky turned to see AJ's pale face. "You had the dream again, didn't you?" Sky had the worries look on her face again. She actually doesn't know what AJ's past was like. Sky never brought it up because she knew it was a sensitive topic.

   I nodded. She stood up and then walked up to AJ. Then, she hugged her tight, which always makes AJ feel better. They stood there for awhile, until Sky had an idea.

   "You want to go in the forest?" Sky knows that AJ loves to hang out in the forest. AJ looks up excitedly. Suddenly, Sky takes off running and exits the cottage. "Race you," she yells over her shoulder. AJ takes off after her.

   They spend the whole day in the forest, with Artemis and Noire, of course. Both of the sisters think of themselves as lords, which is how they thought of their last name. They have no parents, so they made up a last name. So, Sky said they should be the Lordes because they are the lords of the forest. Both of them spend most of their time outdoors, enjoying nature.

   After awhile, they lay down under the stars. Artemis and Noire cuddle up to them. Even though AJ may have had a terrible life before, she knows that she wouldn't change a thing.

   Hey guys, Kalo here!!! Thanks for reading this chapter off of AJ! Please leave a like if you enjoyed! Thanks for the support!