Golden

Chapter Two

A/N-

Everything (well, most of it) will be explained in the chapter after this one since I know what is happening is confusing. So please, don't give up on me or this story!

"Oh, okay. Yeah, need help?" Alice's light voice carried through the murky water, where my head was. Her chestnut curls waved at me as it swung out from behind her back as I lifted my head from the water and trotted towards my best friend.

Alice! Are you stupid? This isn't a game. I had a special connection with Alice, something the High Council couldn't even explain. We could talk even though I was in my animal form. How old are you, five?

"Oh lighten up, would you? At least I didn't wake up Mr. Grumpy-Wolf over there." Alice paused, and with a pout whispered. "And I'm seventeen you big meany."

I shook my head and body free of water while I bitterly remembered the day I got to encounter the Wolf after being interrupted from his nap by Alice. Oh, praise the Lord, I acknowledged sourly. What are you doing here anyways? What happened?

"Bruno called to check up on you. I told him you were asleep. And it's almost time. You might want to start prepping, 'kay?" She strated twirling her long hair in boredom.

I gave my my body another shake before striding towards the bush I hid my clothing. Something still felt wrong. It was probably just the fear talking, but I couldn't shake the feeling that we were being watched. I gave a soft whine, alerting Alice. I really don't think it's safe out-

"You're just being paranoid, Kitten. Everything's fine. I ran the perimeter before I went looking for you. I didn't see or hear anything. Or anyone, for that matter." Alice's light voice which was thinly threaded with a sweet accent took on a tone of annoyance, as if she was offended I didn't trust her.

Fine, I guess I am a little... freaked out.

"A little, right," she scoffed. Alice flipped her shoulder length hair back, the moon casting an eerie glow on her sharp features. "So anyways..." Alice turned her head, her bright blue eyes shining as he lips pulled into a mysterious smile. "Guess who couldn't resist the A-Charm?"

Hm...Was it... no one?

"Oh, ha ha. Very funny. But Jer ask me to go watch a movie with him."

You mean Jer, as in Jeremiah? The tall lanky guy with the Acne Mountains a popular feature on his face? Why him?

"Oh come on he isn't that bad."

But you could do so-

Our light banter was cut short when I reached the bush, and I nudged my nose in between the leaves to feel for my backpack. After a few seconds, my searching turned frantic as I teared through the leaves.

Alice? My backpack isn't here.

"You sure that's were you put it?"

Positive.

And then all hell broke loose for the second time tonight.

I barely had enough time to yell at Alice to get down before a gun shot pierced the quiet night. The bullet whistled passed my ear, causing it to ring. I positioned myself over Alice, but as much as I wanted, there wasn't much I could do. There wasn't anywhere to hide. I was completely out of my element. Lions don't like in forests or parks. We blend in with the light color of the sand and dry dirt- not lush green grass.

I could hear someone running towards us, too fast for me to hide.  I had a couple seconds before I was caught.

Alice, you okay?

"I- I swear, I didn't see anyone. I just, what... I swear Kody, I swear!" Alice's voice was hysterical, slightly muffled by her arms which were covering her face, and deep sobs raked through her body. I guess I was fighting this one solo.

I jumped from my defending position above her body and tuned my ears to hear how close the person was.

Except... there weren't any. The footsteps died down, ceasing to exist with every second that passed. It should have calmed me, knowing the danger passed, but I knew better. Nothing was over. The fight had only begun. The fighter was giving me a chance to run to safety, a chance to hide. Just so they can play their little game of cat-and-mouse.

With one defiant step after another, I chased down the player who was at the other end of this game. I stopped short to catch my breath when I saw a flash of movement coming at me from my left side. It disappeared behind a bush, snapping twigs under their weight. Slowly I turned around, facing the bush whom the person was hiding behind.

Come out, come out where ever you are... Even though the person couldn't hear me, the sentence felt baneful in my mind. It creeped along the edges of my brain, floating around like the notes of a flute, toxic yet beautiful. Empowering. Viperous.

"That's not how you play Hide-And-Go-Seek." The voice flowed to my ears from behind. It was all too familiar. The pain this voice caused inside me twisted within my veins. I knew that to live, I had to fight. But how could I fight some one who I trusted dearly and held close to my heart? "But, if you're going to cheat, we may as well too."

"Oh the joy of MorCa." Another figure, the one I was chasing down, stepped from behind the bush. It was unmistakably a man, his figure broad and threatening. He was rolling his head back, walking in a stiff motion. The stance he built clearly spoke I'm done playing as he slowly made his way around my body. His black-blue hair swayed from the wind, curling around his eyes and top of his ears. He stopped in front of me, hands together behind his back. He had a strong hawk nose that created a shadow over his pale lips.  This man couldn't be any older than 23 years old, and for what he was doing... it struck me as odd. His green eyes stared at the person behind me, a mocking smile playing along the edges of his lips.

No matter how much I fought the urge to turn around and look at the man who I believed to be everything I ever wanted to be- strong, brave, reliable- I had to face him. I had to look at him one last time with the last shred of dignity that was somewhere deep in my heart.

Ever so slowly, I turned my body, trying to mask the pain that could be so easily read in my eyes. When I looked at him, his deep blue eyes showed no mercy, not one spark of knowing who I was. And maybe, that's what pained me most.

My brother's eyes were cold and hard, staring with nothing but with disgust a deformity on his face.

Bruno...