Status: In the Works
Twisted Ties
Prologue
For the second time now, she was running for her life through the forest. She could hear the feet pounding against the ground behind her as she ran in a dead bolt towards the goal. They were so close, she could almost feel their teeth snapping at her calves and feet. Every breath tore through her lungs like a blade slicing her open. Every step shot pain through her already aching muscles. It had been what, an hour, three, more? A wolf shot out in front of her, cutting her off as it started snapping it’s jaws in her direction. It’s ears were flat and it was ready to jump, but she knew better.
Wolves usually worked in packs, and if she turned the other way to avoid this one, she would no doubt be led into an ambush. Closing her eyes for a split second, she forced herself to keep moving forward, running past the thing had been a surprise, it hadn’t even had time to twist around and snap at her, but a howl was let loose. If she had to guess, it was warning the others that she was still running in the same direction.
It figures the day would end up like this. At least it wasn’t pouring rain. Though the new silence in the air was more than unsettling, she barely glanced behind her however to see if they were still chasing her. That was not an easy task running full speed. The fairy tales people told about the forest kept most people out of it, even if so many didn’t believe in such stories. She wasn’t even sure she believed them herself. If it hadn’t been for the way her mom used to tell them, she… “Ahhh!”
She hadn’t been paying attention. Lost in thought as she ran, she stepped down on nothing. Tumbling down the hill had her thrown for a loop. She barely had time to try and protect herself as she tumbled over stones and twigs, she was bloody lucky she hadn’t hit a tree. Not that it mattered. By the time she hit the bottom, she was sore, disoriented, and in a panic. A snapped twig nearby, had her gunning in the opposite direction of the hill, hoping she was still heading the right way.
Her whole body hurt, her feet and legs from running, her sides and arm from the fall, and everything else? She shuddered at the very thought of it all. When the forest fell silent around her once more, she slowed to a stop. If she didn’t get her bearings soon and catch her breath while she was at it, it would be too late.
The bark of a tree off to her left splintered apart. With a jolt, she ducked low, trying to listen even as her hands flew up over her head. As though the animals weren’t bad enough, now there was a hunter out here too? Where were they? Her thoughts were ripped apart when a searing pain hit her shoulder. The shock had been so abrupt she couldn’t even manage to scream. A shout left the hunter and a moment later she heard a growl. It sounded a heck of a lot closer that the hunter was.Twisting herself around as she pulled herself to her feet she looked around, just to freeze. How had she not seen it sooner?
The wolf was as black as a moonless night, it’s fur and eyes the same dark color. As the beast came out of hiding, she fought to try and stay still. Even as her body shook she could recognize the thing was looking right at her. For a moment, she had forgotten about the heat running down her arm from her injury.
Talk about a rock and a hard place. Hunter at her back, wolf in front of her. She was watching the wolf in hopes of finding an answer, would it attack? Would it leave her be? She had forgotten she should be running for a moment, that is, until a bullet skimmed past her right side. A shriek left her as she dropped to her knees. The wolf had also seemed to duck low, before charging at the shooter.
Even as confusion settled in, she pulled every ounce of willpower she had left in her, and used it to move herself back up to her feet. Just as she had it in mind however to start running, a loud yelp rang out. Turning around she watched in horror as the wolf went down. Had they killed it? No...it’s still moving.
Without thinking twice, she ran toward the animal. It didn’t make any sense, and she had no real plan once she got there. Gasp’s and shouts hit her ears which meant the hunter was thankfully busy, or at least distracted by something. Dropping to her knees she ran her hands over the wolf despite what she could only guess was a protest of a growls. Finding where the shot had been, she put pressure on the wound, just in time for the hunter to go running past them. That was strange.
She felt the danger looming towards her long before she saw it, and not for the first time, she wished she was back home. For all that was worth, at least it would be better than the mess she seemed to have gotten herself into. She could still remember it so clearly.
Wolves usually worked in packs, and if she turned the other way to avoid this one, she would no doubt be led into an ambush. Closing her eyes for a split second, she forced herself to keep moving forward, running past the thing had been a surprise, it hadn’t even had time to twist around and snap at her, but a howl was let loose. If she had to guess, it was warning the others that she was still running in the same direction.
It figures the day would end up like this. At least it wasn’t pouring rain. Though the new silence in the air was more than unsettling, she barely glanced behind her however to see if they were still chasing her. That was not an easy task running full speed. The fairy tales people told about the forest kept most people out of it, even if so many didn’t believe in such stories. She wasn’t even sure she believed them herself. If it hadn’t been for the way her mom used to tell them, she… “Ahhh!”
She hadn’t been paying attention. Lost in thought as she ran, she stepped down on nothing. Tumbling down the hill had her thrown for a loop. She barely had time to try and protect herself as she tumbled over stones and twigs, she was bloody lucky she hadn’t hit a tree. Not that it mattered. By the time she hit the bottom, she was sore, disoriented, and in a panic. A snapped twig nearby, had her gunning in the opposite direction of the hill, hoping she was still heading the right way.
Her whole body hurt, her feet and legs from running, her sides and arm from the fall, and everything else? She shuddered at the very thought of it all. When the forest fell silent around her once more, she slowed to a stop. If she didn’t get her bearings soon and catch her breath while she was at it, it would be too late.
The bark of a tree off to her left splintered apart. With a jolt, she ducked low, trying to listen even as her hands flew up over her head. As though the animals weren’t bad enough, now there was a hunter out here too? Where were they? Her thoughts were ripped apart when a searing pain hit her shoulder. The shock had been so abrupt she couldn’t even manage to scream. A shout left the hunter and a moment later she heard a growl. It sounded a heck of a lot closer that the hunter was.Twisting herself around as she pulled herself to her feet she looked around, just to freeze. How had she not seen it sooner?
The wolf was as black as a moonless night, it’s fur and eyes the same dark color. As the beast came out of hiding, she fought to try and stay still. Even as her body shook she could recognize the thing was looking right at her. For a moment, she had forgotten about the heat running down her arm from her injury.
Talk about a rock and a hard place. Hunter at her back, wolf in front of her. She was watching the wolf in hopes of finding an answer, would it attack? Would it leave her be? She had forgotten she should be running for a moment, that is, until a bullet skimmed past her right side. A shriek left her as she dropped to her knees. The wolf had also seemed to duck low, before charging at the shooter.
Even as confusion settled in, she pulled every ounce of willpower she had left in her, and used it to move herself back up to her feet. Just as she had it in mind however to start running, a loud yelp rang out. Turning around she watched in horror as the wolf went down. Had they killed it? No...it’s still moving.
Without thinking twice, she ran toward the animal. It didn’t make any sense, and she had no real plan once she got there. Gasp’s and shouts hit her ears which meant the hunter was thankfully busy, or at least distracted by something. Dropping to her knees she ran her hands over the wolf despite what she could only guess was a protest of a growls. Finding where the shot had been, she put pressure on the wound, just in time for the hunter to go running past them. That was strange.
She felt the danger looming towards her long before she saw it, and not for the first time, she wished she was back home. For all that was worth, at least it would be better than the mess she seemed to have gotten herself into. She could still remember it so clearly.
♠ ♠ ♠
Ayauran Here.I just wanted to thank everyone for understanding that this needed to be done. I know I had already been 9 chapters in when I dumped the rewrite bomb, but I am much more happy with the results with edit's and adding the prologue. I feel it will run much more smoothly.
Originally I had planned on putting the bare minimum to this story, as I plan on releasing it some day as either an e-book, or a paperback (have yet to decide which). In the end though, I just wasn't happy with it. The work wasn't as full as it could be, and it was rather disappointing even in my own eyes. I hope everyone will be as happy as I am with the changes.