The sounds of frantic feet on the snow could be heard through the grand forest. Deep near the center, they stopped. The young red-head who had been running bent over, placing her hands on her knees. Her breathing was hard, as she took in a large breath, she let out a loud cough. The snow, that had been falling harshly as she ran, began to lighten up, now only falling in light feathers, allowing the girl to see her surroundings. She was in a snow covered clearing, her white sweater making her blend in, almost invisible from the untrained eye.


She lifted her head, looking up at the sky, small snowflakes falling onto her nose. She attempted to read the sun. It was late, and her only source of light was fading into the darkness. The girl knew she would not last the night. She knew they would find her. They always did. Then she would have to run again, and that was something she really did not want. They always hurt her when they found her. Maybe that meant she should not run in the first place, but it is just too scary in the caves for her. So she runs. Trying to get far away from the evils of the World Below.


She stood up slowly, having caught her breath a bit. The thin dress she wore under her sweat-shirt was doing her little good for warmth. She pulled the article tighter around her as she began to run again. The snow was letting up more and more, but the girl was still cold. She needed some form of heat before she froze to death in that Forest Of Terror. “Young one! Follow my voice.” An elderly, yet caring voice shouted to her. She couldn’t see in the fading blizzard, so she did as she was told. She followed the voice. Of course, there was doubt in her heart. The man could possibly be one of the people hunting her. She was desperate though. “Here! I can see you! Come closer!” The girl ran until she tripped over a very large object. She lifted her hands to rub her eyes, they had been clouded by the dusty specks of snow. Her eyes widened when she saw the overly large muzzle of a Grey Wolf bend and grab her sweater. That was the last thing she remembered before the cold got to her head, her consciousness lost.


“Young one. You must wake. It’s not safe to sleep in this cold.” The elderly voice was talking to her again. Her eyes opened hesitantly. “Young One, can you tell me your name?” She tried to open her mouth, wanted to, but when it opened, no words escaped. She had not spoken since she was taken to The World Below. She had not wanted to reveal any information about the Humans’ whereabouts. She was not about to give her people away. The race was wearing thin, she did not want to be the cause for its extinction. “Can you talk?” The girl opened her eyes, and saw that the voice belonged to a man that looked about her father’s age. She shook her head softly. She wanted to talk, she really did, but the words just refused to escape her lips. “Can you write Young One?” The man asked again. She nodded. She had been one of the few girls in her village that learned to write. The man walked quickly to a desk on the far side of the room, grabbing a pad of paper and a pen. “Here. Tell me your name Young One, and where you come from.” The girl nodded and took the paper.


Natalia, I come from the Village Storme, just beyond the hills. But I have been a captive to the Were-Animals for some time now. The man read the paper quickly and nodded. “Were-Animals? Horrible creatures. But not all bad. There is a certain breed of the kind that can only take a single shape. We are the Werewolves. When the man said “we”, Natalia tensed. “Fear not Young One. I will not harm you. I promise you that. I am a friend to you.” Natalia nodded, still uncertain though. “Is there some other name you go by that is short than that horribly long name?” Natalia laughed gently and nodded. Lia. She wrote simply. “Well Lia, I’m pleased to meet you. My name is Esper.” Natalia gave a gentle nod of recognition before her eyes grew heavy again. Esper saw this and bent down to lift the girl. “I’m taking you into the back to rest. I’ll cook for you when you awaken.” Natalia nodded and let her eyes drift closed as Esper carried her into the back room, setting her onto the bed there. He made sure to cover her up and stoke the fire before he went back into the main room. “What have I gotten myself into…?” He asked himself quietly. He knew damn well who she was, and yet he was taking her in. He could get himself killed for doing this…