1

Four years later

My onyx curls danced behind me as I weaved through the forest trees. The thundering sounds of paws hitting the hard ground got closer as I took a sharp right turn. I shielded my tearful eyes as I looked up through the gaps in the treetops, finding comfort in the high sun. A ravenous growl came from my right, a little too close. I looked around at the tree trunks as I pushed myself further. One lonely oak tree with white flowers at its base stood in front of me to my left. I tripped over a root and hit the forest floor with a thud, rolling until my back hit a tree.

"Shit," I said as I sat upright.

Tears rolled down my cheeks as a large, brown wolf stalked towards me. I whimpered as I pushed myself closer to the base of the tree, a hard lump pressing into my spine. The wolf snapped at me with deadly sharp canines as he continued to close the gap between us, growling ferociously as spit dripped from its jaws. As the wolf jumped towards me, I launched myself forward. Blood painted the distance between us as I rolled to my feet. The wolf snapped at me once more before swaying on its feet. I stood tall as I wiped the crocodile tears from my face with my long-sleeved shirt, rolling my shoulders back. The wolf tried to charge at me once more but stumbled, blood pouring from a wound on its stomach.

"Shift," I demanded calmly.

The wolf shook its head and growled once more.

"Shift now, or I'll make you," I said with a smirk.

The wolf charged, and I sidestepped its attack, taking the opportunity to strike at its side. It crumpled to the ground with a whimper, and a bare man lay before me within seconds.

"You bitch, what the fuck did you do?" he roared, covering his wounds with his hands.

"I gave you a choice, and you chose poorly," I said, bored.

"I'm going to kill you," he growled out, looking at me with his crazed piss-yellow eyes.

I shrugged as I leaned on a nearby tree.

"What do you know about the attack on the Hidden Paw Pack?" I asked with determination.

He laughed.

"And why the fuck would I tell you?" he asked with a smirk.

Within seconds, a dagger sliced through the air, landing in his shoulder with sickening accuracy. His screams filled the area, scaring off the birds in nearby trees. He attempted to dislodge it, but his blood made his hand slick. I leisurely walked over to him and removed the blade; blood gushed out of the wound profusely. I kicked him in the ribs and stuck my finger in the laceration, twisting.

"How about now?" I asked between his yells of anguish.

I removed my finger and created some distance between us. The man panted on the ground as the grass around him became tinted.

"You know this is my favorite weapon," I explained as I examined it in the sunlight.

"My dagger's blade is foraged from pure silver with a hilt of oak and leather. Such a simple metal with the deadliest consequences," I added.

"You're fucking crazy," he said.

"And you are wasting my time," I said as I walked over to him.

He tried to strike me, but I quickly countered and punched him in the face. Then, I rushed behind him in his disoriented state and rested the blade against his skin, his screaming soon returning.

"What do you know about Hidden Paw?" I grunted out against his fighting.

"I don't know anything! I wasn't there! I don't know any rogues in the mountains! Let me go, bitch!" he rushed.

Before he could blink, the blade sliced across his throat, finally silencing his screams as the blood sprayed before his now lifeless body.

"There you are. I let you go," I said as I stood.

I quickly cleaned the blade against a clean patch of grass and secured it in its leather sheath, hidden near the oak tree. Walking to a nearby bush, I looked at my red, patchy hand with annoyance.

"Sorry, Enyo," I apologized to my wolf.

Her ears perked up from her resting spot, but she never bothered to respond. I rolled my eyes as I retrieved my leather bag from a nearby bush, shoving the dagger into its hidden pouch.

"I know you are here, Nox," I said over my shoulder as I gathered my medicinal leaves from my bag.

A nearby shrub rustled as a man with copper, wavy hair, and a scar over his left amber eye walked over to me.

"You were sloppy," he said.

"I'll make sure I write that down for next time," I retorted as I unfurled my leaves.

Inside my leaves was a light orange paste. I was about to apply the paste to my hand, but he quickly took it from me. He held my injured hand in his and examined it.

"I'll rewrap your hilt," he said softly as he began gingerly applying the paste.

"Were you more successful than I was?" I asked as I bit my lip to distract myself from the pain.

"No. The two rogues I tracked knew nothing of value," he answered with frustration.

"We have to be missing something," I pondered as he wrapped my hand in a leaf.

A nearby twig snapped, and we both rose to our feet, ready to fight. I sniffed the air but found no significant scents other than the smell of blood.

"We need to leave the area. His blood is pungent," I whispered as Nox grabbed my bag.

We hastily escaped into the forest, but I couldn't shake the feeling of being watched.