Prophecy

Chapter 1

The forest floors of Wintrem are shadowed green with the fresh leaves, the occasional rebellious leaf breaking free, brisk autumn winds try and fail to build up as the end of summer approaches. I stand staring at the dense expanse in front of me, a chill runs down my spine as I hitch my knapsack securely on my shoulder and continue down the dirt path. Muttering to myself I stumble over an extended tree root, catching myself with a sigh of discontent "I'm so not an outdoorsy person." I carry on down the dirt path, watching out for trip hazards with a wary glare at the trees and surrounding fauna.

My hair starts to tangle in the oppressive overhanging bushes and branches, tearing the strands free with a curse I continue on, attempting to ignore the small pixies grabbing and tugging at the snagged strands, making the knots worse. I swat them away cursing the trees, the creatures and my Grams for the events that led me down this path. My Grams isn't solely to blame of course, my unfortunately (and hilariously) mistimed prank may have tipped her over the edge to kick me out and set me onto this 'path of discovery' as she so plainly put it in a lot more expressive words. My backpack hanging on the crook of her old crone fingers, she kissed my cheek and locked the door behind me.

My Grams is actually the Oracle, with a capital 'O' our whole family is descended from a long line of prophetesses and seers, however with each generation the powers weakened, now only one is born every few generations fulfilling the 'Oracle' role for however long she lives. Which as an Oracle can be a very, very long time. Grams had been the last one born and wasn't set on retiring any time soon, for that I was grateful for as my own powers are practically non-existent and my mother was the closest to being able to take over, before she disappeared.

The shifting light and sudden quietness pulls me from my reverie, the trees suddenly ominous. I shake myself and straighten my jacket as the breeze makes goose-bumps rise, I falter my steps as a branch snaps close by and birds flock in the distance, a caw from a crow makes me pause. Leaves move though no breeze shifts them and I turn to see a large mass leaping towards me. I turn to run but suddenly I'm being dragged off the path, a whimper escapes my lips as the branches snag and pull at my clothes the beasts maw gripping my knapsack as I struggle to pull free. It slows down to a trot, tossing me down into a clearing, I roll through the pine needles as breath is forced from my lungs and I gasp, squinting up at the beast trying and failing to hide the fear that builds within.

I raise my head trying to hold back a flinch as I stare down the beast's long muzzle spotting the glint of its sharp teeth, the silver flecks of fur coming through its white and grey coat. I look into its eyes, crisp and clear, a very pale yet sharp grey glares back at me, it narrows its eyes and they appear to turn a darker stormier grey as it observes me. "Wha-what do you want?" my voice trembles as I realise it's a wolf standing over me. I pull myself up, brushing off the dirt as the wolf snarls impatiently, pacing in front of me before leering down. "You are a daughter of Arcana, are you not?" I tense, the voice comes from behind the wolf, the suns beam shifting further west as dusk rises. I look for a break in the trees that I can attempt to make my escape through, the wolf huffs impatiently waiting for my reply. I shake my head in disbelief refusing to answer, "Who are you?"

A man steps from the tree line, hair hanging ruggedly down his face, black peppered with grey, eyes the same crisp grey as the wolf's pierce mine. "My name is Garmir of the Great Lupus Lunae and you are Dahlia Arcana descendant of the Oracle." I blanch at his use of my name, the control fully in his court I stare at him unsure of how to react. "Yes I'm Dahlia, now please, what do you want?" I stare between the man and the wolf as the wolf whines and sits down its gaze holding me in my place. "I have been hired to look after you throughout this next leg of your journey." He steps closer now, hand resting on the wolf's head. His gruff voice and pale eyes show that he has power and authority, the feeling in my gut, despite only just meeting him, told me to trust him.

His power quakes through the air around me, making my bones ache and the trees appear to bow towards him. He kneels and begins clearing the floor of debris creating space for a fire, his eyes glisten sharply in the setting sun. I scrabble to stand up, attempting to make a move but the wolf stands too, a low growl echoes through the clearing as I take a step to away. The man, Garmir chuckles and stands too "I think it's safer for you to just stay here tonight." He raises his eyebrows as I eye him and the wolf. I sit muttering under my breath as he heads to the tree line to gather dried wood for the fire. The wolf lays down and pants, sounding like a chuckle, staring at me with its eyes that seem to know too much.

Garmir returns and builds up the fire, I can't hold back my questions any longer. "Did my Grams send you? Are you a harbinger of doom?" I ask sarcasm dripping in my queries even though I really want to know this answer, this situation is to bizarre to comprehend. I watch him as he stokes up the fire, noticing the deep scars that travel down the left side of his face and further down his shirt collar. I shiver trying to not picture the beast that may have done that to him, my gaze briefly settles on the wolf who snorts and turns its expressive eyes away. I turn back to Garmir and watch as he settles down, cooking some woodland creature, the meat sizzles and my stomach rumbles as the time passes, my questions seem to be left unanswered. "Do you treat every being that feeds you with that much disrespect?" his voice though light has a serious undertone and I hold myself to make sure I don't cower under his stark stare. I shake my head going to reply as he holds up his hands to stop me and sighs "The Oracle did not hire me, though I'm sure she will be cackling at your predicament. Now, who did hire me is not for you to know right now." I frown unsure how to reply, he passes me some meat on a stick and I mutter a thanks, before devouring it.

A branch snaps in the distance and I flinch looking around frantically, Garmir chuckles low "Do not fear Dahlia, if Raoul here didn't wake up, then it's nothing of a threatening nature." He gestures to the snoring wolf and I nod nervously, moving closer to the fire as I lay out my sleeping pack, the day's events making my eyes heavy and heart heavier, I curl up under the watchful gaze of Garmir falling to sleep to the sounds of heavy breathing, crackling fire and creatures moving through the undergrowth.

A grey and white wolf was stood in the distance, blood dripping from its muzzle, pale eyes glinting in the cold winter sun. My heart was pounding; adrenaline flooded my body I started to slowly approach noticing a bundle at its huge feet. More blood christened the snow covered floor a stark contrast that hurt my eyes. I ran forward trying to see whose body it was, the wolf howled a sorrowful song, and I turned the body over.

Hair curled in wisps around the frozen face the colour blonde, as pale as its surroundings standing out like ivory touching on the verge of honey nectar, clashing with the blood that pools towards the ends. The girl had full lips and a straight nose with long eye lashes that brushed her pale cheeks. I knew then that her eyes would be the green, the green of a summer leaf with flecks of gold that were only made present when emotion overcame the girl. It was me. I was past being shocked and accepted the image before me, turning to the wolf who I now knew was Raoul I spotted an arrow held within his jaws. "Girl, you must wake up now," the voice echoed in my head as dream Raoul whimpered and let out another gut wrenching howl.

"Girl waken yourself, morning is soon here and we must go." I stir with a gasp, reaching towards my chest feeling for a wound that I knew was only a dream, possibly. My breathing shallow and fast, I look over to the wolf, Raoul, who peers back at me with sharp eyes that seem to stare into my soul. I glance over to Garmir hoping he hadn't noticed; he was busy choking down the fire. I shake myself awake, standing to roll up my pack. Still the wolf stares at me, I stick my tongue out to him, kicking a stray stick muttering "Fetch." He stands there eerily still and huffs before stretching, its huge paws leaving dents in the dew drenched floor, bigger than hands, tail wagging high in the air as he flicks the stick and walks away from me. I turn to Garmir whose amused smile makes me blush in embarrassment from my childish actions. "Rao likes you," he laughs, turning to a small gap in the dense trees "Come, it's time to go." I glare as their backs disappear into the trees, stomping after them I call "Go where exactly?" A tingling of déjà vu washes over me as we set off walking back to the path that I was on alone only yesterday, now I had some type of guardian and his animal sidekick.