Lost

1

Chapter 1

I ran.
I ran from my past. I ran from what I lost. I ran from them. I ran from what they did to me, from what they took from me. Running in my fur always seemed to help. It made me feel free. Free from my past and from my surroundings. But no matter how much I ran it still couldnt stop the memories.

So I ran faster.

Asena, you need to slow down. My wolf Nadia tried to reason with me, but even she knew when I was like this there was little that could calm me. So I ignored her.

I tried to force myself to calm down but the memories kept flooding back like a wave against the shores of my mind. The screams and the blood. So much blood. I couldnt help them. I was useless. They all looked to me to be their next leader. She has so much potential, they used to say. It was all lies. When they needed me the most I failed them. And now theyre all dead. Because of me.

Asena! You need to calm yourself before we get hurt! I couldnt listen. I couldnt hear her over the sounds of the voices in my head crying out in pain. Help! Help us please! they cried and cried but I couldnt save them! So I ran faster and faster till I was numb.

Asena! STOP!

I wasnt quick enough to dodge the cedar tree in my path. I ran into it shoulder first. A thick splinter lodging itself deep into my shoulder forcing a pained yelp out of our mouth. I tumbled to the dirt and lay there for a minute trying to catch my breath. I need to get a grip. There were many dangers in the woods for a lone wolf, especially an injured one, so I needed to remove the splinter as soon as possible so I could heal. I contemplated just lying there and letting whatever came along kill me. With any luck it would be a quick death, but then again a coward like me didnt deserve the mercy.

I shifted my weight onto my haunches. I surveyed the area and lifted my snout into the air to see if I could smell out any potential threats nearby. Catching the scent of water a few hundred yards away from me I limped off in that direction. After a while I came to a pool of water in the middle of a clearing. I didnt take to it immediately though. Water like this usually was visited by other predators looking for a drink or a quick snack, so I stuck to the tree line and surveyed the area. Once I was satisfied I limped towards the crystal water and peered at myself in its reflection. I had always loved my wolf. Her fur was midnight black, almost blue, but she had a white pattern going vertically down her snout and white lining her under eye.

The throbbing of my shoulder brought me back to the present. I could tell it was trying to heal itself but he splinter needed to be removed first. I sat back and began the painful shift back into my human skin. My bones shifted themselves and my fur receded back into my body. I winced as my collar bone attempted to move around the splinter. Once I was back in my skin I began the process of pulling the stick of wood out of my body almost gagging at the sound of flesh tearing and the smell of fresh blood. The splinter now on the ground beside me, I forced my body to push out the remaining fragments of wood left behind. I slid to the waters edge, again looking at my reflection.

I always hated the way I looked. The way my thick dark brown unruly curls were so different to the straight black hair of the people in my former pack. They had thin pink lips and I had full brown ones that always seemed to be pouting. Even my skin was darker than theirs. They had a light Carmel complexion and I had a deep mahogany hue. I hated it. I hated the way I was different than everyone else. Even though no one spoke ill of me when I was around I knew they whispered behind closed doors.

I stood to my feet, not caring that I was in the nude, and surveyed my surroundings. It was beautiful. The grass was thick and shown with mist. The trees were many different colors, some were red others green some even had pink cherry blossoms that had already reached full bloom. The meadow itself was huge, and in the shape of a perfect circle, and the pool sat directly centered to everything. But it felt different it felt like the air was vibrating and the trees felt like they were watching my every move. But oddly enough I didnt feel threatened. I felt safe, like while I was standing here, in this meadow, nothing could harm me.

The water felt like it was calling my name. In desperate need of a bath I wasnt one to resist. I dipped my toes into the pool to feel the temperature, and it was warm like fresh bath water, which was odd considering the sun was hidden behind the clouds and the evening air was chilly. But I ignored it and stepped in, momentarily surprised by the immediate drop, it felt as if the water had no bottom. I vigorously rubbed my body in an attempt to alleviate it of some of the gunk and grime that had accumulated over time and then repeated the process with my hair, pulling and tugging at the knots. Satisfied with what I could manage, I swam out to the middle of the pool, where the water wasnt murky, and floated on my back allowing my muscles to relax and my guard to drop.

I felt safe here.