The next morning, the morning of the night of the full moon, Leta woke to the light filtering through the closed shutters of the window. It was still cold, so when she climbed out of bed to change it was like someone had thrown a bucket of icy water over her.
The birds had only just began to sing, signalling that it was still very early in the morning. The sun hadn't even risen properly yet, still cresting the horizon.
Leta always seemed to be woken extra early on the full moon, like some subconscious sense inside her was begging to be let out, to be set free. She was sure she knew what it was. Leta was also equally sure she never wanted it to be allowed control.
Leta was hungry, but when she looked inside for something to eat, there was very little besides dried bread. Canna had hidden everything else away in the preparation for winter.
Leta picked up the bow and arrows that lay next to the door. She slung the quiver of arrows across her back. She then sighed and shook her head as she stepped outside, closing the door quietly behind her and beginning to walk softly through Mystic Falls, until she reached the far side of the forest, where the animals often liked to be.
Her feet made little to no sound as she picked her way through the trees, ducking underneath branches and avoiding the brittle sticks that adorned the forest floor.
It wasn't long before she heard the soft crunch crunch of hooves in the undergrowth, a doe or a deer maybe.
When it came into her field of vision, she was ready, one arrow already notched into place. But a noise to her left disturbed her, frightening the deer away. Her arrow thunked into a tree about five yards away from her and she cursed under her breath, turning angrily to see what it was.
The thing that had disturbed her was a man. His clothes were worn and faded, his eyes weary and tired. His hair was shoulder length and a light brownish colour, his eyes a crystal blue. It was a part of the wolf pack. Leta could not recall his name. But he looked oddly familiar.
"I was trying to catch that, thank you very much," she told him, scowling in annoyance.
The man stepped closer, raising an eyebrow. "Likewise," he said, showing her the bow that he held. He moved like he were approaching a wild animal, carefully.
"You're a wolf, aren't you?" Leta inquired, beginning to walk to retrieve her arrow.
The man followed her, keeping his distance. "Yes. My name is Ansel."
Oh... It was him...
"Why are you here then? Been allocated the pack cook?" Leta asked coldly, attempting to yank the arrow out of the trees trunk. It didn't so much as move an inch.
Leta didn't like talking to the werewolves. It reminded her that she would one day join them.
Ansel moved to stand beside her, chuckling and shaking his head a little as he pulled the arrow out for her and presented it.
"No, I am fetching food for my family while I am away. It only takes me half a days travel to reach a safe distance from here. Then I can wait until the shift is over."
Leta shrugged, giving him her best 'fair enough' face. "Why are you talking to me of this?"
It was Ansel's turn to shrug. "You're Jonas's daughter. I can talk freely."
Leta rolled her eyes. "I do not like to talk of my wolfish heritage. It reminds me that I must one day suffer as you suffer." Her voice dropped low, her eyes cast downwards. "I would never wish that upon anyone."
Ansel laughed. "It is not quite as bad as you think. After awhile, it becomes second nature."
Leta smiled at him. "Catch me a deer then will you."
And she walked away back towards the village.
The sun was beginning to sink below the trees, once again turning the world orange, casting long shadows over everything. The woods looked eerie and ghostlike now. Most had already shut their doors and barricaded them against the werewolves. Just incase.
But Leta was outside already, her breath misting in front of her. She could feel her fingers slowly freezing as she rubbed her arms to put some warmth back in them. She was waiting by the edge of the forest, stamping her feet and pacing back and forth as she waited for Kol.
All her senses were on high alert, the hairs on her neck standing on end. Every time she turned around she expected to see something waiting for her in the shadows. She was getting near to running back home, wanting to scream with every tiny noise.
Usually she revelled in the darkness, enjoying it, feeling safe, but tonight she felt nothing but panic. She was bristling with it, chewing her nails until they nearly bled.
"You alright there, darling?"
Leta jumped and whirled round, lashing out in her agitation. A small cry escaped her lips. Kol chuckled low in his throat as he easily deflected her blow.
"Kol," she breathed, her whole body relaxing as she hugged him.
"We should hurry, wouldn't want the wolves to catch us now, would we?"
He took Leta's hand and pulled her along. Though she still jumped at every small thing, eventually ending up glued to his arm.
He laughed. "You really don't like the full moon, do you?" he asked, looking down at her fondly.
Leta glowered at him. "Shut up."
"This time maybe I will consider it, darling."
They carried on, their footsteps entirely to loud for Leta's liking. It kept getting colder by the second as well, until Leta's teeth were chattering. Kol didn't seem affected by it in the least.
What seemed like hours later, (though in reality was only twenty minutes at the most), Leta began to get fed up. She was tired, she was scared, she was cold, and she was pretty sure Kol was going to take her deep into the woods and murder her.
"Are we there yet?" she whined, eyeing a particularly menacing bush.
"Almost," was his amused answer as he held a low hanging branch out of the way for her so she could walk under it. "And... we're here. Close your eyes."
They were standing in what seemed to Leta to be total and utter darkness, but she obeyed Kol when he told her to shut her eyes. She also felt his presence vanish as he walked away from her.
"K-Kol?" she stuttered.
"Just one moment, love," came his reply. It sounded like he was somewhere to her right. "I've been working on this for a week, perfecting it. I mean, it is pretty pointless, but I thought you would like it."
Light flared behind her eyelids, dancing in little colours. She felt his hands on her shoulders, his thumbs gently rubbing circles. Leta felt her cheeks flush crimson.
"Open your eyes," he breathed.
Lights twinkled like a million tiny fireflies, each a different colour from the next. They filled the air, making the small clearing they now stood in glow like the rainbow. They floated around her head, little balls of colour. In the centre of the clearing there was a fire burning and it seemed to fill the air with its warmth, though that may have been Kol's ego.
A surprised and delighted laugh burst from her lips and she clapped a hand to her mouth, smiling until it hurt. She was that happy.
"This is amazing, Kol," she whispered, her eyes sparkling as she turned to face him. He grinned down at her in return.
Far away Leta heard the wolves howling, snapping, snarling. Whether at someone, something, or each other she didn't know or care. Leta wasn't afraid anymore.
"I thought you'd like it," Kol told her.
Leta spun around once, taking it all in again. The lights, the way they cast brilliant shadows on the trees. Everything was breathtakingly beautiful.
"Are you kidding?" she asked, stopping to look at him and then turning away. "I love it." She laughed. Kol came and stood beside her. "Is this what you were doing out in the forest? Why you didn't come home at all a few nights ago?"
Kol nodded, pleased with himself. "It is indeed."
"Why? Why would you do this for me?"
Kol took a long time replying, though he had practiced these words over and over until he knew them off by heart. A lump had lodged in his throat.
"Because you are as beautiful as a forest nymph too me..."
Leta looked at him, her words faltering, "W-what?"
"I... I think I'm in love with you."
Everything froze, time stopped, the moment staying put. Leta's breath hitched in her throat as she tried to comprehend what he had just told her. Fear, joy, anger, happiness. Those four emotions flashed across her face in that second. She didn't know how to react, she had never really considered love before. She had always lived then and now, the only future being another fight with Mikael, another day with her friends, another day of not being a werewolf. She wasn't sure if she returned his feelings, she wasn't sure of anything.
"I... I..." she stammered.
Kol's dark brown eyes searched hers. The lights danced. It was all so perfect, so why was she so afraid? It was a simply yes or no, wasn't it?
Thankfully something saved her from answering, though that something was something she wished hadn't happened.
A scream pierced the air, so loud even Leta and Kol heard it, though they were quite far away from Mystic Falls. The scream was strangled, mixed with panic and desperation. It was a voice they both knew well, a voice they had grown up hearing. And something was wrong. Something was very, very wrong.
"MOTHER!"
The moment was shattered, and they both started running.
And so it begins...
