Chapter One

I'm always drawn to this place...I have no clue why but it seems more than slightly important.  It's odd that I find a cliff important, but I have nothing else. Well, nothing but my pack. With all the things that have happened, it's amazing they're still around me.
I glance to the wet nose that has pushed itself into my hand. Guess it's time to move. I turn and begin gathering my things – not that there are many. All my belongings are are a spare set of clothes and a few blankets. It feels odd knowing that it'll be at least another year before I can return here. Considering what happened last time, I think I might wait another decade before returning.
I can still hear the cries of demon in my dreams. I'm considered lucky to be alive, even with all the deaths I'm responsible for. The last village was peaceful, everybody knew each other and could get along fine. That was until I happened to stumble upon it – if it can be considered that.
The people were peaceful and, it seemed, no matter what happened they would always be so. I stayed there for months enjoying the break from hiding. As they say, the bird is inexplicably drawn to the worm.
Even expecting them, being found hurt.
It wasn't storming – dramatic as that may be, they weren't going to wait until it started raining then try to catch me. They were dumb - but not that dumb. Strangely, the part I dread the most came before the hunters arrived. One of the 'Dangerous! Avoid at all costs!' posters that hardly get around happened to show up. Lucky me.
After a whole cycle of Cyeila they managed to corner me. Considering how much time I spent in this town that shouldn't have been an issue. The villagers were too scared to kill me. They spent more than a tenday with me and they were too scared. I could sense the fear. That wasn't a big shock but I was disappointed that it wasn't because I was a friend.
I gathered my backpack and started to walk in the direction the pack was going in. My pack. The family I never had. They've tried to raise me since I was a babe. My pack always stays around humans so I can pick up on their language. You see, they think I might be better off with one of my own kind. despised as they are among wolves. I consider myself more wolf than human, no matter what I look like.
Sadly, life hates me. I mean it doesn't like me very much considering that most people who happen to spot us think I'm being eaten. Everyone seems to think that I'm indecent. Well, I'm not civilized but I'm not an animal either. An animal. Funny how often I've been called that. Of all the images I have burnt into the back of my eyelids the only one that hurts is--- another wet nose pushed against my hand. I should concentrate on where I'm going...and keeping up.

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After a few uneventful days we found a small hamlet. Peaceful, quiet and normal – like the last couple dozen – but there was something different. I couldn't figure out what it was. It was unnerving. Kinda like when your about to fall and have just discovered that everything around you is perfectly smooth or just out of reach.
With a few licks I was off, off to face another town screaming and deserting me. Fun. This is probably how my life will go until they get tired of deserting me. They're probably hunting a nice deer.
I couldn't help but drool a little at the thought. They probably just don't wanna share.
And rightfully so, My inner voice piped up, you eat like a pig.
No, not a pig, A wolf. A starved wolf, I added, laughing internally at the irony.

Halfway through my journey down the hill – which seemed to grow a forest right before my eyes – I felt something. Someone was watching me, odd as it sounds.
I've always been good at sensing if people were watching me. Usually it's nothing to worry about - just people seeing who was visiting their nice town. It's frustrating knowing that someone's watching you, but not knowing their intentions. I suppose I must look suspicious. I mean my clothes are probably too small, filthy and I smell like-
THWACK! My ears rang with the twanging of an arrow beside my head. What the H- I managed to duck beneath the second missile knowing that it was impossible to keep dodging with the sense that this wasn't some kid, it was a hunter. It was a very dangerous hunter that probably saw my pack. If it saw my pack they're probably bleeding to death in the mud. Thousands of possibilities swirled around in my head. Those weren't too bad but the images...The images were haunting.
“Come and get it you d***ed hunter!” I yelled just to release some of the pent up anger flowing through my veins. It seemed to course through my very soul. Then something surprising happened-

It stopped

-+*&*+-


Before me stood the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. So there was something different about her. It was odd that she had enough sense to dodge the first arrow. It was odder still that she dodged the second, third, fourth and so on. But the weirdest was what she said. I mean, how can people like me be mistaken for those emotionless things.
I had to teach her a lesson, even if it was just a small one.
'Hey there!' I shouted from my place in the tree and leaned down so I was in her line of sight. The gasp I got was what I expected, the pebble in the face however, was not.
“What the heck was that for?” I screamed, she was really testing my patience.
“For almost shooting me, you nitwit!” Okay, she had a voice – she also had an attitude.
There was no sensible response I could think of, so I settled for glaring at her. “D'you think I just shoot people at random?” My tone was probably cold and harsh, but it didn't bother me. The gasp she elicited was – in an odd way – strangely satisfying.
“Your a hunter! You don't need any reason to just start shooting people, nor do you care about who it is you hit!” Her voice was determined and would have had me agreeing wholeheartedly, except for one small, insignificant little mistake.
I was not a hunter.
“D'you have any proof?”
“What?”
“I asked you if you had any proof that I shoot people randomly.” It was getting harder to keep my tone even. She was really starting to get on my nerves.
“You shot at me! What other reason do I need!” My, wasn't she determined. I'll just have to fix that.
“I did. Sorry, it seems my suspicion was wrongly placed.” I hopped down from my branch, more towards her height level. Just for show I place my lips to her hand.
The look she made resembled a cat in water. She was very amusing to me. Most women would blush and advert their eyes, but not this dark-haired beauty. Apparently she was shocked beyond words. That's all right for me though, I'm content to -
SMACK!
Her hand met my cheek with a stinging sensation. Never before had a woman been bold enough to slap me. I...I think I'm in love. “What might your name be, oh feisty untamed beauty?”
There was the blush I was expecting last time. “I...I-I don't have one.” Poor thing. She's so embarrassed that she stuttered. Wait, no name? What kind of person is she? Who wouldn't name their child?
“Where are your parents?” My brow creased in worry, there was no easy way to ask something like this and not have her lie.
“Dead.” Her tone was cold and all emotion had left her face. She wasn't lying. An orphan? How could she survive then? Images of the wolf pack I saw her with broke free of their confines and bubbled to the surface.
“Then the wolves...You...you're not a hunter then?” A simple shake of her head informed me that she was listening to my mutterings. “Why are you wearing the uniform then?” She shrugged, obviously not wanting to talk to me. I lifted my gaze to her eyes. She immediately tried to look interested in the clouds overhead.
“Fine then Wylfie. If you don't wanna talk, you don't have to. I'm Falron by the way.” I placed my arm around her shoulders and gave them a reassuring squeeze. There's nothing else I can do about her. Her pack wants her to interact with humans so I'll take her under my wing.
I felt bad for her but not as bad as I felt when that occurred. Something told me I would regret this, but I ignored it. She's only one girl, what's the worst that could happen?