Chapter One:
It had been days since I left. I've been running for days now, living like an animal: scrounging, hunting, defending myself.
My life had taken a sharp turn since I, Mira Heights, inherited the inevitable genes that plagued my family's bloodline. Yes, I was, am¸ quite the freak; dangerous to all those I love and hate.
In my case, I'm not running away. I'm simply taking an extended vacation, one that will benefit those who cannot live through my moments of outrage.
I reached a cliff with a sheer drop, one that could possibly end my life, yet doing so would be a selfish act from which I could never redeem myself. Scouring around, I looked for a possible way across. There was none. I'd either have find a way down, or go across.
The distance was a good 100 yards, give or take a few feet. Making a decision, I moved back ten yards, and pawed the ground, preparing myself for the flight. Finally, without further hesitation I took off. The shrubs passed me in a blur, and within a quarter of a second I was in the air.
The wind smashed against my muzzle and refreshed the fur on my back as it began to change into tight, silky feathers. My paws, stretched out in front of me, began to shrink back into sleek wings. My whole body began to change, and before I knew it, I was flying towards the other side of the cliff.
Once I'd landed, my hawk's form reverted back into the body of a large wolf. I shook my fur to rid myself of the stiffness that remained from the feel of having feathers. I sniffed the air to make sure I was as safe on this side as I was on the other, and then without a glance back, I took off moving in a southwest direction.
--
After a good thirty more minutes, it was nightfall, and my body could not go another moment without rest. Finally I found a nicely formed rock that was shaped like a shallow cave. In other words, perfect fit. I curled up nicely against it as my thoughts fell into an unconscious reverie.
They were approaching, all dangerous, and all vicious. For once in a long time, I feared the outcome of the inevitable fight.
I spread out my options. I couldn't make a run for it unless I had a good lead, and I couldn't possibly threaten them. But I wouldn't give up either. My pride wouldn't allow me to.
Making my decision, I crouched down, preparing to attack and defend myself, and growled fiercely…
Before I knew it I opened my eyes and jerked myself up. I sniffed the air, wolves, and not just any wolves, but a pack of fierce, defensive, male wolves.
Changing my eyes, I used my hawk vision to see through the woods to find where they were. 'Too close' I thought consciously in my head. And almost as if they'd heard what I said, they'd looked straight at me and started running towards me.
Adrenaline pumped through my veins as I ran east, away from the pack. These were not normal sized wolves. They were as tall as horses, with bodies that were the size of small cars. I couldn't change. By the time I'd turn into a hawk and take flight, they would've already struck me down. 'Only a wolf can fight a wolf' I thought consciously again.
Suddenly I felt the presence of more wolves. Soft murmurings filled my ears, no my mind, as the wolves got closer. Changing my eyes again, I looked back, 'three behind me, three in front of me, and two coming up on my right side.' Suddenly the vision of the cliff came up into my mind, and I abruptly turned left and fled north, increasing my speed. Then I looked back again, eight wolves behind me, one is faster than the others. But I can outrun them.
I kept running, pushing my speed to an all time new. 'I'd never run this fast before.' I thought trying to keep my panting even, yet failing to do so. Finally, I saw it, the gap. Looking back at the wolves I saw that there was now a larger gap between us, 50 meters.
'Now!' I thought to myself as I jumped across the gap, my head was now that of a hawk, and I could feel my wings catch flight as I soared across, abruptly changing back to a wolf as I landed. I came to a halt, and turned around. The eight wolves appeared out of the woods halting at the edge of the cliff. Before I turned around to leave, I heard a silent "how?" And then all the murmurings stopped. I turned and left. I would have to find another way to get passed them, for now I know, I can outrun them.
Yet the farther I got from the other wolves, I suddenly felt an odd annoyance, almost like I'd wanted to be caught. I'd wanted to fight. The feeling of simply running away aggravated me. Although I would never win such a fight, I felt as if I needed to fight them. The strange needs continued to plague my mind until I curled up against a tall, thick tree, and fell asleep.
What did my future hold…?