All too familiar

Prologue

~1864~

DPOV

The first thing I heard when I awoke from the smothering darkness was the waves crashing peacefully against the small pebbles of the of the lake's edge.

"Your brother has gone, Damon" the familiar voice of Katherine's hand maid informed me. I peeled my eyes open but was instantly blinded by the shining light of the early morning sun.

I shielded my eyes as I pulled myself into a seating position and looked out at the distant waterfall "what do you mean he is gone Emily? What's happened?"

"You're in transition Damon." Emily stated. At that I turned to her, shocked when I came face to face with a pure white wolf staring intently at me. "And she turned up not too long ago" Emily said as she appeared next to the wolf, bent down and began petting it on the crown of its head.

"What... Why is it here?" I asked turning completely to stroke the wolf.

"You know why she is here Damon; I know Katherine told you about familiars. This little one" she said gesturing to the wolf "turned up about an hour ago, she hasn't moved from that spot since. She's just been watching you, waiting for you to wake up. I'll leave you alone now; she will tell you all you need to know from here. Be safe Damon. " I nodded at that, thanking her when she placed an unsightly blue ring on my finger before taking her leave and leaving me with… what was the term she used? My familiar? I can't for the life of me remember when Katherine supposably told me about familiars. But it would sure be nice if I actually had someone to tell me what the hell is going on! What did Emily mean she would tell me all I need to know? There is no one else here but the creepy staring wolf…

"I'm not creepy! I'm just observing!"

"What the hell?" I yelped as I shuffled back away from the wolf "did you just talk?" I asked, suddenly feeling tremendously stupid for talking to an animal who I hoped couldn't talk back.

"Do you see anyone else in the vicinity?"

"I can't believe this. I'm talking to a wolf, I've finally gone insane" I sighed as I placed my head in my hands, rubbing my face quickly before looking back up to the wolf "well then wolf, how is it I am talking to you? And how can I understand you?"

"I am your familiar of course, all vampires can understand their familiars and vice versa" the wolf stated as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "So! If you are done sitting on the muddy floor are you ready to go on your first hunt Damon?"

"Before I go anywhere with you I think I have a right to know you name" I said, finally standing up and patting off and leaves and dirt left on my pants "you know my name Damon, just as I know yours. We are connected you and me. Just concentrate and you will figure it out, just think of me. You can feel the connection now just reach out to me." I nodded closing my eyes concentrating solely on the wolf face, it's cool blue eyes similar to my own; it's perfectly white fur, complete opposite to my own jet black hair. Slowly, very slowly, I felt her creeping into my very soul twining our life forces together. Elena. "E-Elena, it suits you" I stated, a proud smile on my face, I already felt connected to the feisty wolf.

"Thanks, so shall we go? You obviously have a lot to learn." She observed tilting her snout in the direction of the tree line to the forest. I nodded jogging a few steps forward to catch up with her since she took it upon herself to walk off without me.

"So how did you know where to find me? Before I woke up I mean?" I asked following her through the clutter for trees. "I sensed where you where, I was meant to be your familiar since birth, I always knew you would turn and I have been waiting for the day so I could finally make the connection completely with you ." she said jumping over an uprooted tree foundation and gesturing me to do the same. "So before, Emily said you would tell me all I need to know… is that all you are helping me with? And then you're just going to leave?"

"Of course not!" she exclaimed, halting in her actions "sorry to break it to you but you're stuck with me for life, like I said, we are connected meaning we are weakened when we are apart, you hurt I hurt. Get the picture?" I nodded my understanding and we continued on our way until she led me to a nursing tent for the towns injured soldiers. "First things first, you need to feed to complete your transition to become a vampire… so, take your pick" she urged as we entered the foul smelling tent. I scanned through the beds lined up on each side of the tent with injured soldiers of all ages still asleep from the night.

My eyes finally fell on a young man who from the looks of it was pretty close to death, his head was bandaged up on his hair line, seems he's suffering from a head wound. His breathing was erratic but weak. "That one" I motioned towards the weakening boy. Elena nodded and trotted her way over to his bed before gracefully climbing on next to him. "Well come on, I know you're hungry." I slowly approached the bed, suddenly feeling unsure of the whole situation. "I'm not really sure what to do…" I whispered just to make sure no one was aware of my presence. "Just let your instinct take over, you'll know what to do." I swear this wolf thinks she has all the answers.

Again, I nodded shuffling my way closer to the bed and like Elena said; my instinct took over, my canine teeth suddenly as if magically, sharpened and began to ache painfully. All of a sudden I became aware of just how hungry I really am. Even more strange is Elena knew even before I did, that may take a little while to get use to…

Unable to bare the pain in my upper jaw much longer I plunged my fangs deep into the boy's neck, drinking greedily but as quietly as possible, still aware of my surroundings. "That's enough Damon, he is gone." Elena's voice rang through my ears to which I unwillingly peeled my lips away from the solider.

"So it's as simple as instinct?" I stated, wiping my blood stained mouth with the sleave of my shirt. "Then why did I need you to figure all this out?" I grinned down at Elena to which her sparkling blue eyes narrowed into slits.

If looks could kill.

"Oh shut up you; let's get out of here before someone sees us." Elena said with a roll of her eyes.

"So where to next oh magical wolf with all the answers?" I asked poking fun as we walked out of the nursing tent "where ever you want, we have all of eternity to do as you please… as long as that place is pet friendly." She joked.

It eyes my turn to roll my eyes.

"So I have another question… I know you can hear me, and I can hear you but can anyone else understand you? Like talking I mean?" I asked, picking a few random pieces of crumpled leaves left on my shirt. "Nope, just you" she answered simply "it's more of a mind connection really, you hearing me talking is just you reading my mind"

"Creepy" I remarked

She just laughed shaking her head.

A/N:

hey guys, i know i haven't posted anything like nearly all year but i have been writing! i just haven't been posting... anyway, this is my new story! this chapter is like super short but trust me all the chapters after this are much longer ok? the next chapter will skip like over a hundred years in the future -just so you know elena doesnt age, just like damon- if you have any questions so far just PM me!

and don't forget to review!