The Edge

Prologue

       Everything was a blur as she raced through the frost-covered trees. She imagined that she could feel the hot breath of her pursuer on the back of her neck. She pushed herself to go even faster, digging her claws into the frozen ground. She flew over a fallen limb half-buried in the snow, and whimpered as she stumbled and had to regain her pace. What are we going to do, Bells?

     Right now we need to keep running- at least until we can find somewhere to hide... Look!, Bellatrix replied.

   Where?!

      There!, Bellatrix barked, as she pointed her muzzle at an opening in the base of an evergreen tree coming up in the distance.

    Okay then. Let's haul some furry butt!

    Agreed.

    With something somewhat resembling a plan, they headed toward their only chance of safety. They could only hope as they ran that whoever was following them was far enough behind for them to be safely hidden before whoever it was had a chance to catch up.

     They were within sniffing distance of the hole when even that semi-plan fell apart; she felt the hot breath she had dreaded on her tail. She tried to push herself even harder, faster...but it was already too late. She felt a white-hot flash of pain as she felt teeth come together in the flesh of her hind leg. She yelped, and tried to drag herself away from her attacker with her free legs, but the attacker swiftly knocked her to the ground. She scrambled to get back up, but they were already dragging her by her leg back towards the direction they had come from.

     She whirled around, and snapped her jaws closed on the first chunk of foreign flesh she found. She felt a deep satisfaction when she heard them yelp in pain as she tasted their blood on her tongue. She clenched her jaw even harder, and they shrieked in pain. She realized this was her golden opportunity to get away, and immediately released her hold on her assailant. Racing away, she heard a sound that made her blood run cold; they were howling.

    This isn't good, Bells. They're calling for reinforcements!, she whimpered in increasing panic.

    I know, so listen to me, and do what I say right now, okay?, Bellatrix growled.

    Okay.

    Okay. Don't look back, and whatever you do - Don't. Stop. Running.

    And with that, they fled from the chilling sounds behind them, and didn't slow down until they saw a thick gathering of trees in the distance. Upon reaching the first few trees, they realized they had found a small forest.

    Finally! Maybe we can find somewhere to lay low for a while? At least until we're certain that we aren't being followed anymore, Bellatrix rumbled.

    Good idea. But where? I don't think we're going to be lucky enough to find another hollow tree - at least not one with a hole we could squeeze into.

    True... what about over there? It looks like there might be a cave in that pile of rocks.

    Maybe... let's check it out - but be careful; we don't know if anything lives there.

    They slowly crept toward the hole. To their utter relief, it did turn out to be a cave - and even better, it looked as if it had been abandoned for years! Still remaining alert, but beginning to slowly wave their tail back and forth, they padded into the darkness. They laid in the dark for what seemed like hours, but nothing happened. Satisfied that they probably wouldn't be attacked in the night, they allowed themselves to close their eyes and sleep... As they slept, they dreamt of a pair of big...golden...eyes...