Chapter 1: Loss of a Mother
A brutal winter storm was attacking the mountains of the north. Two feet of snow covered the ground, winds howled through the air, snow and ice swirled, and dark clouds filled the sky. A light faintly glowed through the storm, it was emanating from a torch being held by a woman. She was no ordinary woman but a Skin-Changer. Living and being tortured in an Orcs dungeon after four years she had finally found an escape. Trailing through the snow and ice she had her three children following behind. The children's skin was turning blue, hair was full of snow, and ice started forming around their eyes. The mother cried seeing her children suffering, but it was their only escape. In the distance an Orcs horn went off, turning she seen Orcs upon Wargs running through the snow. The children screamed in fear, their mother had the children run ahead. She noticed a sharp turn was ahead, grabbing the children she prevented them from falling over the side. Having them hold hands she pulled them through the snow, but the last child lost their grip falling in the snow. "Mama! Mama! Wait for me!" the child cried out. As the child tried getting up an Orc ran up from behind. Grabbing the child by the hair he pulled her along. Her mother ran over, full of rage she grabbed the Orc by the throat. He released the child from his grip. She hoisted him off the ground, dangling him over the edge. She squeezed hard breaking his neck. Letting go the limp body fell into the abyss. Picking up the child she noticed a hole in the mountain side. Big enough to fit the children, quickly she pushed them all in.
"Mama aren't you coming?" the youngest asked.
"No, I'm too big." she answered the youngest of the triplets.
"Mama where are you going?" the eldest asked.
Hearing a Warg's howl she quickly kissed each child's head, "Mama's going to lead them away, I want you all to stay here. Do not leave until I come back. Understand?" she asked. The girls nodded watching their mama leave; Wargs legs ran pass the hole. The triplets cowered in fear, huddling together for warmth and comfort they fell asleep.
Morning light streamed through the snow waking the oldest triplet. Stretching she crawled over to the opening, scooping the snow away the sunlight poured in, causing the other two to wake. "Has mama come back?" the youngest asked.
"Sorry Luna but no." the oldest answered.
"She'll be back soon. Right Crescent" the middle sister assured.
"I'm hungry." Luna cried rubbing her stomach. Crescent crawled out of the hole.
"But mama said we-" the middle child was saying crawling out.
"Nova this is no cell, we don't get maggot covered bread." she answered. Gathering all together they began walking down the mountain side towards the woods.
"What are we going to eat?" Nova asked with a bad attitude.
"Find something small or already dead." Crescent answered.
"How are we suppose to kill, we can't skin-change yet." Nova said looking through bushes.
"Mama taught us how to form fangs. I use to catch the cell rats for us." Crescent said. Hours were passing and the girls had nothing but growling stomachs. Smelling the air Crescent caught the scent of a something. All of them crouched behind a snow pile spotting the family of rabbits.
"Awe are those bunnies." Luna swooned.
"Yes but with fur still on them." Nova said.
"That's breakfast." Crescent said keeping eye on her targets.
"No Crescent. You can't eat them." Luna cried.
Turning she growled, "It's either them or starve."
"Then I choose them." Luna said crossing her arms.
"Fine starve, but I'm eating." Crescent said crouching lower.
"They're just as big as cave rats, but their legs a longer. They'll out run you." Nova commented.
"I'm going to try." Crescent said. Focusing on the target she grew a set of fangs, crouching low she set herself to pounce.
"Run bunnies! Run!" Luna shouted scarring the rabbits.
Angered Crescent jumped out pursuing after them, cutting one off from the other she chased it into a bush, as the bush rattled the rabbit's cry could be heard. Luna and Nova upset ran over, emerging from the bush Crescent held the rabbit in her mouth. "I'm going to eat, hope you find food." she snickered leaving her sisters. They watched as she sat upon a stone peeling the raw meat off the rabbit's bone, whining the two walked further into the snow covered woods.
"Luna why'd you do that?" Nova moaned.
"I never seen a real bunny. I didn't want to eat something so sweet looking." Luna answered.
"Luna they were going to help feed need to feed ourselves." Nova told Luna as she dug at the ground. "Looks like we're eating worms and grubs." she said plopping a large mud pie in front of Luna. The two picked through the mud finding worms and grubs.
"I don't want this." Luna whimpered.
"Crescent won't hunt for us because of you." Nova said as she ate a plump worm, the taste made her face scrunch up. Shaking it off her spotted a large figure in the distance. "Mama?" Nova questioned squinting trying to make it out.
"Mama? Where is she?" Luna asked jumping up in excitement. Spotting the figure Luna shouted running "Mama!" Nova ran after her trying to catch up. "Mama! I missed you, we left...Crescent made... made us, then she killed... killed a poor bunny." Luna cried as she clenched onto the leg. Luna wiped her tears looking up to the figure; it wasn't her Mama but a large man. Nova ran up pulling her sister away, starring at the gigantic man they latched onto each.