Rieka

Chapter 1

My heart pounds in my chest as my paws hit the cool ground. They're in sync with each other as I chase the rabbit. It zig zags through bushes and trees, fast as lightening. I lost it atleast several times already, but its scent and the sound of its thumping feet always leads me back to it. He darts through a log and pops out the otherside, running for his life.

I growl in frustration as I feel my legs slowing down. My breathing rag as my lungs work to cooperate. I try to calm my breathing as I push myself closer the rabbit. I need to get him.

Memories that night flashes through my mind suddenly. I was running into the woods with branches clawing at my clothes. Thorns scraped my skin, but I ignored the stings and barrelled past trees. The loud angry shouts of men motivated me to keep going.

The scene flashes away and I'm back to chasing the rabbit instead of being the one chased. My eyes widen when I realize I'm running straight towards a fallen log, but I quickly jump over it.

The rabbit dashes to a tree and struggles to fit through the trees hollow. Luckily for me, he was too big to fit.

I got you now, I think to myself as I pounce on the rabbit. Digging my claws into its furry soft skin and I bit into his side, he stops struggling after that. Never would I have thought that I would have to kill a cute bunny for survival, but here I am.

As I feast on my lunch, the stench of blood fills my nostrils causing the memories to come back. I close my eyes, unable to stop the memories from resurfacing. It was when I had woken up from my unconsciousness. Blood was the first thing I saw and smelled, the scent so strong you couldn't miss it if you tried. The dead bodies of a kind man and his herd of sheep litter around me, all covered in claw marks, blood trailing from their stilled bodies.

I had felt eyes on me and I turned to see the fear and shock in Grandmama's eyes when she saw me in the midst of it all. Her mouth opened in shock as she struggled to find the words, but before she could angry yells of the man's friends were coming out of the woods, ready to avenge their fellow farmer.

I blink away the images. A week has passed since that night. Atleast thats what it feels like to me. I lost track of time out here.

Once my stomach is full, I leave whatever is left to any other hungry predators and continue on my way. I didn't know where Im going, honestly. All I know is that I have to find a way to break this curse before the wolf pack finds me.

Ever since I was revealed my true monstrous self, I've been hunted by this group of creatures like me. Able to transform into human and wolf. Except unlike me who leaves humans alone, they are evil. They use their evil powers to hurt people, attacking humans with incredible strength and speed.

They believe they are the most powerful creatures and the world. They think humans should fear and worship our kind. They want me to join their pack and swear loyalty to their alpha, but I ran away, not wanting any part of their 'pack'. I quickly escaped from two members, but they will soon catch up with me.

In the tall green trees, birds chirp songs while others took to the sky that I could no longer see because of the thick leaves, but I could see tiny bits of clear blue.

Squirrels scuttles on the ground, rabbits pop their heads through their homes from the earth and hop along, and deers roam the woods, fawns following their mothers and bucks leading their does.

I let out a heavy sigh, loneliness washes over me like a heavy rainfall. I continue walking slowing as I think of how my life had turn into this. I used to live in a little cottage, nestled safely in the woods. It wasn't much but it was home. With a large green field covered in a variety of colorful wildflowers.

The old well that was so deep that if you drop a pebble, you wouldn't hear the splash of water, yet I would do so anyway, wondering what it was like at the bottom.

I hear a branch break near me, breaking my thoughts. My ears perk up at the sound and I freeze. I notice that everything in the woods has gone silent. There were no signs of animal life anywhere. I sniff the air.

Human.

Fear took over me at the thought of being kill by the vengeful farmers. I start to breathe heavy as I imagine hearing their angry shouts. Coming from every direction. I was trap.

Then fight or flight mode kick in and I run forward. I have to get away before they strike, but before I could get any further, a rope entangles around my limbs and before I could react I am snag up into the air. Moss and dry leaves surround me. Square shape rope is all I see and feel.

A whoop comes from behind the trees, I turn to see a young man steps forward with a wide grin on his face. He holds a book in his hand as he stare at me with a gleam in his eyes.

"Wait til papa hears this." He says with excitement. "Aren't you a beauty?" He stares at me from below like I'm a specimen waiting to be cut up and picked at to find out what secrets I hold.

I snarl as I try to pull myself up. The net wobbles under my weight and I fall back down. My limbs going through the ropes. I cry out as it digs into my skin.

My heart pounds in my chest rapidly as thoughts of being killed like my parents ran through my mind like a river. The thought of being slaughter and never seeing Grandmama again. Desperation claws at my throat as I race to find a solution to get out of this mess.

I can't die like this.

Then an idea pops in my head. It was risky, but it could work. If things go south I'll fight with all I got to get free. He can't be that strong, right?

Calming my breathing, by inhaling and exhaling, I feel my body shift. I keep my eyes on the man watching his expression go from confusion to surprise as my fur seeps into my skin. I clench my human hands around the rope, to steady my weight.

I feel my cloak drape around my body. My hood over my face and with trembling hands I pull it back.

"My name is Rieka," I say with exasperation, "Could you maybe... let me down?"

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