Alice Is Lonely

Part 1

She ran, the snow cold against her bare feet. Her breath came in gasps that became clouds in the frigid air. The English countryside was misty and dark. Her eyes searched the night sky but the moon was a mere shadow. She continued running until finally the cloudy sky became clear and the moon shone its full glory on the landscape around her. And finally, finally the glorious feeling of transformation. her eyesight became keener and her hearing; sharper. Her nose picked up the scent of a sparrow five yards away. Her breath no longer came in gasps and she felt her muscles tighten as she leapt forward. She raced toward the moon until she came to a cliff where a piece of rock jutted out of the mainland. She ran up the precipice and felt the surge of the ancient song sweep through her before letting out a howl filled with exhilaration and life.

Suddenly a shot rang out. She whipped around to see a tall man with a long rifle. He had missed. He swore and bent to reload. Her nostrils flared, her breath came is sharp growls and her body tensed. Then she leapt forwards and raced towards the woods. Another shot rang out and she felt a horrible stab of pain in her shoulder. She stumbled and yelped in pain. But she didn't stop, couldn't stop even if she had wanted to. It was in her makeup to run from the danger. The adrenaline of the hunt raced through her veins making her impossible to catch.

"Run ya stupid mongrel! And stay off my property!" the man yelled after her.

But his voice was lost in the wind that rang in her ears. Her paws seemed to go so fast it felt as if she wasn't touching the ground. The only thing to remind her that she wasn't in the heavens running amongst the stars was the pain in her right shoulder. It consumed her body and the adrenaline coursing through her was used up too soon. She limped towards an old shed that came into her view. Perhaps she would be safe there until the full moon set.

She climbed onto an old crate and jumped through the broken window. Along the walls were piles of old tools and forgotten boxes. A thin layer of dust had settled over the whole room. In the corner of the small structure, she found an old dusty canvas blanket. With her nose, she moved the cloth around until it was comfortably settled into a nest and then collapsed in it. she began to lick her wounded shoulder. She was tired.

As soon as she had dozed off, the sound of the door jerked her from sleep. She rose quietly and growled deep in her throat. The door slammed and a light switch was flipped. It was a boy. He was tall and thin with golden blonde hair. His deep blue eyes shone in the moonlight spilling out of the window and onto the floor. He still hadn't seen her. He sighed deeply and turned. The moon lit up the silver fur of her body that matched his eyes. She growled softly. But she knew this boy.

"Oh my god..." he murmured as he stared at her. She took a step back but whimpered in pain as soon as she put pressure on her wounded leg. She looked around wildly, trying to find an escape. But there was no way out. The boy was blocking the only exit. She stared at him and they both stood, frozen in fear.

She took a step towards him, growling threateningly. For the first time the boy noticed her limp and the red staining her fur.

"You're hurt..." he whispered. She whimpered. He slowly began to walk towards her, his hand outstretched. As he drew closer she barked quietly and tried to edge away from him. "Sh." He said soothingly. "It's alright, I'm not going to hurt you." finally his fingers touched her fur and he pressed his hand against her forehead. She leaned into him and a shock of electricity ran through them both. She could feel her form slipping from her. Her eyesight grew weaker, her nose could no longer pick up the scent of a faraway animal and her muscles were not what they had been. She stood before him completely naked. Her long thick hair fell to her hips and was streaked with silver. Her form was agile and willowy. Her eyes were deep and filled with emotion. Blood stained her shoulder and she swayed. Then her eyes closed and she collapsed into his arms.