A/N: This is my first Mortal Instruments Fanfiction. Personally, I'm a Harry Potter Fanfiction writer. However, on my way to homeroom one morning, I suddenly had an idea of what to write. I'm not saying it's the greatest idea, but I thought it would be fun to write. Whether or not it is fun to read, well, that is entirely up to you. :)

"Nick, I'm sca-"

"Sh! Allie! I'm listening!"

Watery-eyed, the six-year-old girl looked around, staying rooted to the spot next to her older brother. "What do you hear?" she whispered, clutching at his hand so hard that his fingers grew cold and numb.

"I don't know," the thirteen-year-old boy whispered back in reply. "Must be…it just must be my imagination." He smiled at his sister, disentangling his hand from hers and wrapping his arm around her shoulders, drawing her close to him in a gesture of comfort. "Everything's okay."

Ever since their parents had died two years ago, the two siblings had gotten pretty close. Nicholas always looked after his baby sister, and he always would-he swore it to himself. Little Allie knew that her big brother Nick always kept his promises. They'd bounced from orphanage to orphanage for a while until a couple finally wanted Allie-and only Allie.

I shouldn't be running away with her. I should let them take care of her! This isn't safe-it's stupid!

Allie pressed herself against Nick's side. As if she knew what he was thinking, she said "I didn't like them, Nick. I want to stay with you. N'matter what!" she ended with little girl stubbornness dripping off her words.

He smiled and gave her shoulders another squeeze. They started walking again but halted almost immediately at the sound of breaking twigs. "I heard it too," she whispered, though he hadn't said anything. "Nick….what is it?" She clung to him, and then a low growling sound was heard.

"Who's afraid of the big, bad wolf…?" someone sang softly. The eerie song seemed to end in a growl-as if whoever was singing wasn't human, but something else, something unnatural.

Nicholas shouted and was already dragging his little sister before she could register what it was he'd said-run!

"NICK!" Allie shouted in terror as a wolf leapt at the both of them. There was no man-but the wolf was more terrifying than the creepy singing. Nick fell to the ground with the wolf on top of him. Nick kicked it back feebly, and then didn't get back up.

"Nick! Get up! You gots to get up! Nick! Nick! Please get up! Please Nick! Get up!"

The wolf pounced on top of her and she screamed. "Get away! Get away! Nick! Nick!" She tried to punch the wolf in the snout, but missed, and its jaws clamped down on her arm. There was a crack of bones breaking. The sight of blood made her feel suddenly dizzy. The wolf released her arm and it fell painfully across her chest, causing another scream to tear from her throat. The wolf howled and then its teeth went towards her throat. Allie squeezed her eyes shut. If you can't see the monsters, the monsters can't see you. She opened them again because it was even scarier not knowing when she was sure pain was going to come.

Everything seemed to go out of focus. All that mattered was that there was a wolf on her chest, making her terrified breathing even more labored. Her heart thundered painfully against her ribs, and she imagined the wolf could feel it beneath its paws. It was as if it was trying to get a lifetime of beats in before it stopped forever. The locket Nick had stolen for her for their first Christmas alone had managed not to tear from her throat, and the charm had fallen around to the back of her neck, as if trying to choke her. The gold line made it look as though her throat had already been slit.

If she had to time to think of anything at all, she'd have remembered the night Nick had gotten it for her. Christmas Eve, he'd been escorted back to the orphanage with the sheepish expression that meant he was trying to look guilty. The woman in charge of the orphanage had yelled at him, and Allie had put down the toy she'd been playing with it and tugged him away from her. Nick had always said that no one could resist his baby sister, and she had given the angry woman her best smile.

He'd taken her up to their room, and pulled the small box out from his pocket. "A pretty locket for the lady," he'd said with a little mock bow. She'd squealed with delight, demanding to know where he'd gotten it, and he'd told her. He'd told her about stealing two things so that the guard would only take one if he got caught. In a hushed voice, he'd explained the entire adventure, sworn her to secrecy, and made her promise never to do the same.

However, it was impossible to think of happy memories like that. Everything hurt, and she was getting dizzier and dizzier by the second. Black spots were bouncing and fighting to block her vision. Her ears were ringing so badly that she couldn't hear the screams tearing themselves free from her throat, begging for Nick to get up, for someone to save her. The ringing sound got worse and worse until she didn't even know if any sound was coming from her mouth as she sobbed for her mommy and daddy. Only one shape broke through her blackened vision-that of another wolf. There was one sound that broke through the high-pitched ringing in her ears-the howling of another wolf and that was the last thing she heard before passing out on the muddy ground.

Thanks to the greatest Beta ever: Jmarcinikglsd! Oh, crap. Now she's going to get a big head... Hehe. Love you Jul! :)