My first fanfiction/story. Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. All credits goes to Stephanie Meyer.
I know the first chapter is short, but please be patient...I will try to update as soon as possible.
Since I am not a native of the English language, please point out for anything that doesn't make sense in the story.
A/N: Everything in this story is fictional. (Except everything you already know about Twilight. Just kidding.)
Chapter 1 – Escape
Creak. Creak. Creak.
The soft squeaking of the old rocking chair and the angelic voice lured the five year old Bella into a peaceful state on her mother's lap.
Creak. Creak. Creak.
The girl looks up at her mother, wondering why she had stopped telling the story. The woman in question seemed to be lost in thought as she gazed at the full moon from the open window. She had been reminiscing about the familiarity of the moment when she was the tender age of five, when her mother before her used to tell the same story.
"Mama?"
"Hmm?" Brown eyes gaze down at identical brown eyes.
"Then what happened?" asked Bella.
The woman's lips lifted into a soft smile. "Then the spirit of Kowsaki granted her the power to protect the villagers from the cold ones."
"What kind of power did she have?" The girl asked, not knowing what kind of supernatural ability her now favorite 'heroine' had.
"Nature." The mother replied, chuckling at her daughter's mystified expression.
11 years later:
Fire. Fire. Fire.
No matter where the young woman's eyes traveled, she could only register the sea of flames that engulfed her village.
"How?H-How could this have happened?" she thought.
The girl had only been gone for a few minutes to fetch some water for her sick mother from the well on the outskirt of the village.
"Renée!" she shouted.
Almost forgetting about her mother, she ran down the rocky edge while failing to notice the pot full of water she had discarded where she once stood.
Running as fast as she could, the Native girl approached the village that her ancestors guarded with their lives. Stopping to catch her breath at the entrance, she could hear the screams and cries of the villagers. Not wasting anymore time, she ran through the burning totems, into the chaos.
Inside, Bella came across a horrific sight. Bodies covered in gore littered the streets of once a lively place. The smell of blood was so intense that she felt nauseous. Fighting the urge to vomit, the teen kept walking in hopes of finding people who are still alive.
The flames on each side, attempted to engulf her, however not once did the moccasin clad feet ever stop moving until she reached the ill woman stumbling toward her, using a spear like a walking stick in one hand while holding the reins of Bella's brown mare, Tia with the other.
"Renée!" The teenager cried out to her mother, the village chief.
"Bella…"whispered Renée in response.
The chief's eyes brightened at the prospect of seeing her daughter again, but then frowned with seriousness. "Bella, you must go…." She coughed several times likely due to the pollution in the air. "…f-find your father, Charlie Swan in the town of Forks."
Bella gasped at what her mother was implying. "I-I can't –!"
"You must!" She grabbed Bella's shoulder in urgency. "You are the last descendant of Kowsaki. It is not your destiny to end here. Please, live on and fulfill your legacy." Renée said with so much emotion, trying to get her daughter to understand the importance of their belief.
The girl hesitantly nodded her head in understanding with Renée's wish. Just then, the two women heard growls of beasts nearby.
"Hurry!" Renée urged while Bella straddled onto the mare. The girl pulled down the wooden mask of Kowsaki that rested atop of her head, covering just her eyes. Her shoulder length hair had also taken refuge in straws and white feathers flowing down her back. Renée passed the spear with both hands, encircling both the spear and Bella's left hand, and then gazed up at the young warrior with unshed tears. "May the Kowsaki watch over you, my child." Renée whispered as the masked young woman nodded wordlessly, knowing that if she spoke, she would not be able to hold back her sobs or tears.
You mustn't show your weakness to anyone. Her mother would always say while training her at a young age. As an important figure of your people, you shouldn't show your fears when in the face of challenges.
Bella gripped onto the rein with one hand and coaxed her mare forward with sweet words. Tia snorted before galloping towards the entrance. The young woman looked back just in time to witness the last image of Renée transforming into a large panther. Its amber eyes glanced back at her before leaping into the grey fog produced by the flames.
A leap from Tia brought Bella's focus back to the front. From the uncomfortable twisting of her stomach, Bella feared that she will never see her mother again nor the village that she lived her whole life in, promising that she would protect it as the next chief and guardian.
"What's the point in becoming the next guardian of the village if I couldn't use my own power to protect it?!Why Kowsaki, why?! Where's my power?!" Bella thought to herself.
Of course no answer came. Through angry unshed tears, Bella could only see the shapes of dancing flames while Tia navigated through the remnants of the huts to get them both to safety. However, before they could reach for the safety outside, a person to their left, with piercing red eyes and fangs leaped from the inside of a hut towards them with a snarl, spooking Tia into a full run as if her life depended on it.
The Cold Ones Bella realized in shock when she remembered the story of the Kowsaki. They have red eyes, fangs, superhuman strength, enhanced agility, and the thirst for blood.
"Damn it!" she thought in frustration.
Bella look around desperately for a chance to escape but found none. The young woman began to form a plan as she gazed into the woods.
Without having to look over her shoulder, Bella could hear the growls above her frantic heartbeats and the panting of her companion. Knowing how exhausted the mare is, the young woman pats its neck encouragingly. "Come on girl! We're almost there, so please hang on!" The horse gave her no response to the encouragement, too alert of the predator chasing them out of the gates of the village.
The next second, Tia jerked abruptly to the right with a scream of fear and pain. Bella quickly turned around in time see the creature digging his nails into Tia's croup in attempt to hold on. With a precise back kick to the creature's face, Bella manage to get the monster to let go, watching as it rolled onto the steep path. After confirming their immediate escape, Bella turned back around to see that they were headed right for the cliff.
"Not this way-!" Bella cried.
Before she could maneuver the horse from the rocky cliff, the young guardian fell off of Tia, into the devouring pit of darkness below.
To be continued...
I hope you enjoyed the first chapter.
A/N: Kowsaki is the name of their god.
And please review. I would like to hear your thoughts on how I can improve this story.