A big thank you to AliveWithTheGloryofLove whose kind words in my previous story gave me the inspiration to write more. Pleas check out her stuff if you haven't already.

Reviews are definitly appreciated... no haters/flames please.

Not that it needs to said but hey-ho. I do not own Legacy of Kain or any of it's characters. I do however own Shelindria (there I said it) and Morganna from my previous story (Hell Hath No Fury). They are mine.

Thanks for reading ^_^

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Survival Instinct

Chapter 1

Shelindria

My name is Shelindria: daughter of Tobias, and I have seen the gates of Hell and the wondrous creatures that dwell within their realms. The ferocious emotions that rage within their chests, the need within their eyes, and the yearning hunger for mortals which has led to the almost complete extinction of their species.

If only more of us could know them, to know the unbridled passion that also rests within them. The amazing bloodlust would no longer terrify mankind, making them feel forced to protect their families. If more people understood what it is to feel needed, wanted by one of them… There would be no need for bloodshed and retaliation.

I know this. I have time now to reflect on what I know.

My creature of night satisfied a need in me that has never been rivalled since. He is... my friend.

This day started as many others had. I rose early, while the sun was still low in the east of Nosgoth's sky. I used this time to go to the local well which was a mile away. The water supply had never been consistent so if I made my way there early enough I would have enough water to last the day, if I left my task any later then I would be battling with every other member of the village for even a cups worth.

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I dressed in my white gown with a grey wrap and tied my auburn hair back. I reached for the metal bucket and left the safety of my little home.

I had lived in this tiny cottage alone for the past ten years, ever since my father had died from illness when I was eight. I had inherited the cottage from him and had made it my own. My father had been a good man but had been plagued by ill health for as long as I could remember. He knew that one day I would have to look after myself and taught me well how to do this. As I said, he was a good man with strong values. The thought of him now makes me weep, for had he known what my future held he would not have been happy for me.

There was a chill to the morning air and I held my grey wrap closed with my spare hand. It was a long walk but I enjoyed it, the forest was dense and filled with beautiful foliage and there were small ponds along the way which were filled with warm water. I had often bathed in them and thought that I may indulge myself in the luxury later as I walked back with my drinking water.

I reached the well and proceeded to lower the wooden bucket placed on the edge of the stone circle slowly into the well using the old rope that it was attached to. The rope was fraying and had been for some months. I swore at myself for once again I had not remembered to bring another piece of rope to replace it. I watched the rope as I cautiously lowered the bucket down into the well until I heard the soft splash. I waited a few minutes and then started to lift the heavy contents back to the top. This was always a struggle as I had never quite developed the strength in my arms to manage the task easily, but at last the bucket became visible. I pulled with all my might and then reached across to grab it. It nearly slipped from my grasp but I held tight. I used both hands now to bring the bucket to my side of the well and then started to pour it's contents into my own bucket.

I started to feel lightheaded and I wondered if perhaps I had exerted myself too much again. I stopped and sat resting my back against the cold stone of the well and tried to breathe deeply. There was a sharp pain in my lower abdomen, a pain I had not felt before. I looked down wondering what on earth could be causing me discomfort as I had not injured myself there recently and that was when I saw the blood soaking my white dress.

I gasped and had to clamp my own hand to my mouth to stop myself from screaming.

What in Heaven? I reached for my dress and touched the deep red thick fluid with my fingertips, it was warm and sticky. It was definitely blood.

I started to panic, I could not determine where I had been wounded but the blood was there.

My mind flashed back to when I was younger and I remembered seeing a bird with it's wing broken and bloodied, a wolf who had been drawn by the smell of blood stalked the crippled animal for a few minutes before killing it. I would not let that happen to me.

I tried to drag myself to my feet by holding onto the well but my head spun and I fell, I grazed my knee on the stones as I slipped.

I could hear something behind me, a low growl, I did not want to look but could not help myself, my eyes drew my head around and standing not five feet from me was an enormous silver haired wolf with dark eyes. Saliva dripped from it's tongue which hung from it's fang filled mouth.

I yelled at it and threw my arms in it's direction, trying my hardest to look bigger than the great thing in front of me, trying to scare it away, but with my knee grazed and my dizziness I could not stand up to create the illusion. In a final act of desperation I reached for my shoe and threw it at the beast, screaming as I did.

The wolf simply moved out of the way of my shoe which would hardly have hit it's mark anyway. I threw my other shoe at it but my aim was off because my vision was starting to blur.

The thing edged closer and I closed my eyes tightly, I did not want to see it as it lunged for my throat.

There was a muffled cry, as if a dog had been kicked in the ribs. I opened one of my eyes out of some morbid curiosity and saw the wolf running into the woods. Its tail placed firmly between it's legs as it ran away whimpering. I opened my other eye, not quite believing what I was seeing but my vision was still blurred so I could not be sure of anything.

I thought I saw something else… a larger figure? Another wolf? No, this was too big even for that. It walked on two legs… It was a man.

The sun shone brightly through the canopy of the tall tress now, and he walked out of the dense foliage into my clearing, he was not exposed to the sun and seemed to take care to avoid it.

My senses were starting to fail me though, I could no longer tell what was happening, and with my blurred vision and light headedness I could not even be sure that there was a man there at all.

The sun blinded me and in my mind I thought I must be dying of massive blood loss and that this figure, if he was there at all must be some kind of angel of death, sent to take me from my body into the afterlife.

I closed my eyes again and began to black out. The last thing I remember is being lifted off the ground. I felt like I was floating.