This is a very dangerous book, and I'm surprised you're reading it. Once you're sucked into it, there's no coming out. We don't accept traitors, so you can leave now. Sorry for sounding harsh, but people aren't supposed to know about us. Guess you're in now that you've read this. Greeeeeeat.

THE LIFE OF A MOURPHER

Prologue

I was seven years old, wearing what I would now call a "prissy, dumb, and frilly" dress that was bright yellow and covered in bows and such. I was walking along the stepping-stones in the tall grassy field, which was still covered in dew. Ah, innocence was key back then, not that I'm saying it's not helpful nowadays. I had my small deerskin bag on my shoulder, and I was merrily singing a song while jumping from rock to rock. Looking at my feet I couldn't help admiring how beautiful my shoes, my dress and of course my hair was, and how they glinted in the light each time I bounced to the next stepping stone. Being self-absorbed by its glow, I nearly tripped over myself when I noticed there weren't any more stepping-stones. Slowly I looked up and forward, becoming nervous with the fact that I was at the edge of the woods. My parents always told me it was dangerous to go past the stones, and how a wolf or a bear could easily pluck me off. I was about to turn and run back to the open field near the town when I was tossed to the ground. I looked up with round eyes and my mouth fell open. I knew the boy who stood in front of me, about 8,9 years of age. I always called him forest boy because just a few minutes before the sun rose he'd slip into the woods, obviously cautious yet blameless. But this wasn't the same boy I saw before, oh no. He had a knife in his hand.

His eyes were narrowed down to his slits, standing above me with the weapon tightly grasped in his fist. Trembling, I quickly got up and he tightened his grip on the weapon, and asked warily with a bit of hostility, "What do you want." Not sure what he meant, I stammered, "N-nothing?" He clenched his jaw tightly, looked over his shoulder then grabbed my wrist tightly and said in an urgent tone, " Luke isn't going to like this." Still confused and scared, and tried to pull away from him and started screaming, "Let go of me!!" The strange forest boy clamped his hand over my mouth, grimaced, and then slung me over his back like I was a sack of potatoes. Muffled by his shirt, I thrashed furiously and got a well-aimed kick in the jaw, which of course made him readjust my weight and making me bounce on his shoulder, knocking the breath out of me. Before I knew it I was thrown upon the ground in the middle of a dusty clearing, oddly rare for Soon enough other boys, and even a few girls, emerged from the trees surrounding the dirt clearing, a few older, a few younger then I was. One of the gruffer, broad-shouldered boys said, "Eagle-Eye, you know Luke isn't going to be happy. How could you bring a prissy little school girl here?!?" soon enough his tone turning into a snarl. Lucky me, right? And just to make the moment, the oldest, and most likely the most dominant person leaped down from a tree, and brushed his dirty blonde hair out of his eyes. His clothes were covered in dirt, not that I really care, it's just that when you're in trouble you try not to stare you're "enemy" in the eye. Slowly the older boy stalked toward me, first seeming curious but then immediately cautious. He stopped right in front of me and looked down at me with a grimace. The broad-shouldered boy who had called the forest boy "Eagle-eye" somewhat shouted "What are you're thoughts, Luke?" Well, with that cleared up I looked up into the eyes of the apparent leader, Luke. He muttered something unintelligible then turned around to the others and said loudly for them to here, "Looks like Eagle has caught us a trespasser," he said grinning. A few of the group laughed a bit, waiting for the next part of his announcement. "Well, lets see if this little strangler has some potential, shall we?" he said grinning broadly. The group cheered and formed a small circle around me, who was still helplessly lying in the dirt. Looking up at them, I set on a stone face and tried my best not to look pouty. Luke, the leader walked in a small circle around me occasionally mumbling to himself, "Muscles aren't that weak, maybe a good fighter." Which then, just to make my day, one of his friends tossed him a wooden staff with which he prodded me here and there, continuing on commenting to himself. "Legs seem strong, maybe a fast runner." He noticed my lower lip sticking out like a sore thumb and smiled the slightest and said loudly now so the others could here, "Obviously stubborn and cross". The group guffawed loudly, so in return for such a kind comment I spat at him. The group simply jeered even more loudly. Luke then announced, "Alright, since I'm going to need 2 more observers, lets have the witnesses come here." He beckoned to the gangly boy called "Eagle-eye", and the broad shoulder boy whose name is ironically called "Ox". They both passed through the crowd, staring at first Luke then me intently, as if their eyes were bearing into my soul. Ugh. Ox crossed his arms in concentration of just staring at me, and the gangly boy starting biting his lip, while the leader just stared. A hushed tone overcame the crowd, and they all stared at me intently, until after what felt like forever Luke held up his hand, signaling he was about to speak and said. "She's got the gray lining, she's in." The group cheered and Ox and Eagle grinned at me. Continuing the leader said "She will become a Messenger tomorrow, if she shows." The group nodded and whispered they're agreement, and the leader lowered his hand, showing that the group could depart, which they did quickly. A few stuck around doing tasks, talking, and sharpening weapons. Luke offered me his hand to help me up, which I refused afraid to show I was weak. I brushed the dirt off my dress and looked at him expectantly. "Welcome mourphling," he said, smiling broadly. "Tomorrow your training begins. We've soon you have potential to join the pack. Be at the edge of the woods near the stepping stones. You're either in the group or you stick out of our forest," he added with a hint of a sour tone. Nodding, I quickly ran off and away from the forest, wondering what would happen when I came back to the woods the next day, obviously driven by curiosity. Boy, I should've known what I was getting myself into.