My first non-Invader Zim story. We'll see how it goes.

I do not own Maximum Ride, blah blah blah, why do I even have to say that?

The branches kept getting caught in my thin dress, the one they make you wear at the labs. The fallen debris of the forest floor scratched at my bare feet. Pointy rocks seemed to be all over the ground, determined to be exactly were my foot lands. I was running so hard and for so long that the air burned my throat as I took in as much as possible. The wind tore at my hair and then whipped it back in my face. Small animals scurried away as I ran past them. I felt adrenalin rush through my veins and fear stab my chest. But none of that mattered right now. I had to keep running. I had to get away!

I look over at the little girl next to me. She was so young, but she could move better than me, faster. She was in her element, I wasn't. She's my little sister, and her DNA had been fused with that of a feline, some kind of cat. She was strong and agile, even graceful, as she ran.

But she kept in line with me, partially because she didn't know what else to do or where else to go, and partially because she couldn't go much faster. We were both running as hard as we could, but that might not be good enough. They were gaining on us.

I can hear them, breaking branches that got in their way, ones I had to climb over. They were strong and fierce, and showed no mercy. We had to get away! I had to get my sister away.

They are defiantly gaining on us. I can hear their growls and shouts. They can probably smell us with their giant wolf noses they can morph into. I look at my sister again. She is the only thing that keeps me running when all my energy is gone and when all hope seems to be lost, no matter how bad it seems. I couldn't let them take her back there.

The world was a constant stream of green and brown, mixed with fear and aching legs. My lungs felt like they were on fire, but anything was better than going back. It had taken years to find an opening in the security that would let me and my sister get away, and I couldn't let her down. My little sister deserved better than living her life in a cage. She deserved to taste freedom.

There had only been one other group of experiments that had ever escaped: some bird-human hybrids that the white-coats had made. They were some of the only successful experiments, and they had somehow escaped. If they could do it, so could I. And I could bring my sister.

I think I can see a break in the trees! Finally, no more branches to slow us down. Maybe a road, that we can follow to a town. Would the Erasers follow us into a populated area? Maybe, but it was worth a chance.

I burst out into the open. No, it's not a road, but a small section of open land before a cliff. That might not have been so bad if we had been at the top of the cliff, but instead we were at the bottom. Above me and my sister was a solid wall of red-orange rock stretching higher than the trees above us. There were no visible hand- or foot-holds. It went on like this to the left and right further than I could see.

The Erasers behind me are getting closer. I have to find a way to get to safety, I promised her I would. I can't let my sister down.

But maybe I can let her up. I grab her and thrust her up as far as I can. She grabs at the top of the cliff, but it was still too high up. I shift her weight so that she is standing on my hands, and with all the strength I have left, I lift my arms as high as they can go. She can just barely reach the top, and she grabs onto it and begins to haul herself up. I watch her make her way to the freedom of whatever lays on the top of that cliff.

Adrenalin courses through my veins as I listen to the Erasers. They were so close now, but at least my sister was safe. I jump as high as I can and reach toward the top of the cliff wall. She tries to grab my arms, but I didn't jump up enough. I hear her scream and know that they are right behind me now. The Erasers were here.

I jump again, my last chance to get to freedom, and she reaches down. Our hands brush against each other for a fraction of a second before I fall. I couldn't jump high enough.

Furry, clawed hands grabbed my wrists and began to drag me back. I can hear them laughing, and my sister screaming. One of the Erasers said something to another other about getting her. No! My sister had to get away.

"Maya!" I cried the name I had given her in a cage so many years ago. "Run!"

"Sky!" She called out the name she had given me and reached out a hand, as though she could reach me from the top of the cliff and pull me to safety.

"Run!" I yell again, and this time she did as I said. A furry hand clamped down hard on my mouth, and I tasted blood. I watched the form of my sister disappear above the cliff and let out a breath. She had gotten away. I had fulfilled my promise. At least she could be free.

More furry hands grabbed at me, and one of them raked their claws against my wings. I saw some light brown feather flutter to the ground, stained red with splatters of my blood. I could hear them laughing as the dragged me back to the lab. My legs dragged against the ground. The branches hurt more now that the adrenalin rush was over, and there seemed to be twice as many rocks. The Erasers held on me too hard; I would have bruises in the morning covering my arms, and scratches everywhere. But my sister had escaped, which was more than I should have been able to hope for. Even as I was dragged back toward the building I hoped I would never have to see again, I was content. Then one of the Erasers hit me on the top of the head and the world went black.

Well? What do you think? Was it an exciting prologue? Did you like it? Are you going to read the next chapter? Please tell me! Review!