“Now, now please wake up wolf ling. I can’t have you dieing on me now.”

Through her groggy dreams of blackness she could make out the cragginess of a male voice asking her to stay alive. Life what use does she have of it.

She was just about to let herself fall back into peaceful blackness when the delicious smell of meat entered her nostrils, the sweet, juicy, charred, tangy smell of steak. Her stomach rumbled loudly announcing her hunger.

“Well obviously this steak isn’t going to eat its self young lady, do you mind waking yourself we have much to talk about.” There was that voice again. It belonged to a plump middle-aged man, resembling a kind grandfather with an open face and a joyous smile. His balding head was rimmed in frail silver hairs but his beard was full and thick with light brown hair.

The pale girl finally cracked open her dry and swollen eyes to the onslaught of sunlight that she later pinpointed to originate from a small window right above the soft bed she also found herself to be resting upon.

Her red hair was tangled with various leaves and sticks and her whole body ached. She pushed back the titian colored blanket and reached for the plate of rare steaks that the kindly old man had set down on the bedside table.

Knowing they were for her, she ate with a vengeance.

The plump old man sat himself down in an old rocking chair adorning a corner of the small sunlight lit room. He folded his hands together and watched her with contentment, just slowly rocking back and forth.

The only sounds in the room were the creaking of the rocking chair and the scrap of the young girl’s knife as she tore vigorously through the pieces of meat. Soon she was finished eating and with a clink of her utensils the room fell silent. The creaking had stopped.

The old man was now looking at her with an unwavering stare.

“Imagine to my surprise when I walked out of my cottage this morning only to find a Girl scratched and marred lying in the grass.” There was no hostility in his voice nor was there anything that would hint questioning, his voice was strong but kind. When the girl made no move to retort he went on.

“I have room in my home for you, if you don’t want to go home. But you will also have to do some work for me. I trust you can control your wolf; otherwise I will have to hand you over to the local alpha for training. If you do not wish to stay here that is your choice, I know you have been through something and I will not push you to do something you don’t want to do.”

He ended on a light note after the girl started to shake her head in terror at the mention of another Alpha not doubt with his own pack.

She does not like her own kind, the old man realized.

“Well come on then time to get up, you slept well past noon. I need to go over your tasks that I will have you do for me. The shower is down the hall I have already set out a fresh pair of clothes and a towel. Seek me out when you’re done, I will be outside.”

He hoisted himself up out of the rocking chair with a creak of old bones and just when he was about to make it out the door way her voice stopped him.

“How did you know?” When he turned his head back around he found that her head was downcast and he could barely make out the tip of her nose through the curtain of deep red. He smiled a knowing smile.

“I know a Fea when I see one, being a Fea myself.” With that he was out the doorway and his footsteps faded moments later.

The girl just sat on the bed for several more minutes just breathing in the earthy smell of dwarf goblins completely loses her self in her memories of her abusive pack.

When she felt the suns rays on the back of her eyelids she willed herself to move. Her aching body protested when she pushed herself up even further and she rested on one arm; using the other to swipe the hair back behind her shoulders.

Though she was not concerned any longer with her appearance, an idea formed in her mind.

Finally she dragged herself out of the quaint bed and stood on the floor with firm feet and a rigid posture.

She was so sore; she had been running all night. Running away from her pain and sorrow, she truly was a coward just like they said.

The girl shook her head and pulled herself out of her musing. Down the alcove she walked, just briefly casting a fleeting glance at the many artworks that adorned the walls. Most were mainly consisting of flowers and they smelled so heavy with paint, the girl thought that she would be over whelmed. But then again to any one including her they had a sort of comfort to them. Perhaps that was the reason that the old fea had so many of them.

Just as he said that shower was just down the hall, it seemed he had taken the liberty of starting up the shower for the girl.

She was grateful.

The girl entered the beige colored bathroom and closed the door quietly behind her. She turned to the shower and checked the water temperature but she stalled on getting undressed and cleaning up.

Her green eyes which had a touch of brown in them sparkled dimly as she turned towards the ebony rimmed body length mirror that rested on the back of the door.

A girl of 17 with weak eyes, a powerful body, and a pale face stared back at her. The girl slowly reached up her scratched arm to trace the scabbed over lines of pale red that were positioned all over her face. She winced in slight pain and tears came back to her eyes. When the first tear made its way down here face it took all the dirt with it and for the first time in a many days she was finally able to see just how much dirt had accumulated upon her body.

Her eyes glanced once more towards her thick red mane. A look of resolve crossed her face and she raised her hand. Willing her nails to elongate, just as she had done with her canines, she bunched all her hair together and swiped furiously at it. Piles of red hair fell to the floor and swirled around her bare feet. After some tweaking she shrank her nails back down, observing her self in the mirror once more.

Where it had once been thick and unmanageable her hair was now short, just slightly past her ears in the front and sweeping all the way up to the nape of her neck in the back. Her bangs were side swept in a full face frame.

Once picking up and tossing all of the hair on the floor into the waste basket she stripped herself of the plain t-shirt and breeches and hopped into the shower.

It was not long before she was done, memories of her past plagued her when she let her mind wander and one to many times she found that she had rubbed her skin raw in an attempt to cleanse herself of the many feelings floating just below her skin.

She did not wish to remember.

She dressed in the clothes that had been left for her, so similar to the ones she had worn just earlier before, and soon she was stumbling her way back down the alcove looking for an exit from the cottage.

Outside it was hot and fresh, a fitting day for a day in the sun. The woods were alive with birds and various other animals. The old cottage nestled deep in the woods was surrounded by a poisonous herb garden and currently an old man was on his knees tending to it.

In the distance footsteps could be heard and a voice shouted a name from a distance.

“Sir Mallot! How are you this fine day?” A Man with black hair and a kind smile stopped before the kneeled man and reached out a hand to help him up. The old man, Sir Mallot, smiled and was just about to retort when he twisted around to look at his cottage door. It seems she finally immerging.

The red headed girl had finally managed to find the right door and was only just now immerging from the cottage into the sweltering daylight.

Even before she was all that way out the door she smelt it.

There was another wolf near.

She managed to keep her growl just low enough to not draw attention as she shied away from Sir Mallot and his wolf guest. She had to keep reminding herself that not all wolves were like the ones in her old pack and that she had no right to be rude to a guest of the kindly old man that had graciously decided without reserve to house her, and to top it all off, nor did he question her.

The men had noticed her now, actually the kindly old fea had noticed her from the start and only just now was the black haired wolf stranger looking at her.

The girl shied away from them as they greeted her.

“Sir Mallot, when did you pick up a stray?” There was no malice in his voice but she could see the discontentment in his eyes, the way his bore into hers gave her a sick feeling in her stomach.

“Alex Wiser you ought to be ashamed! You know of my disliking of that word. And if we’re calling names wasn’t it you that was living my house as a stray not to long ago? I’m afraid it’s time to get to work for you. Now go on off with you!” Like and old lady swatting at a fly Sir Mallot shooed Alex back down the path leading to what could only be described as a green house. Alex went, but he was fuming all the way and just before turning around the corner of the cottage he gave the red headed girl one more glowering stare.

“You’ll have to excuse Alex. I simply don’t know what has overcome him Miss - ?” Sir Mallot left he sentence just trail off as a way to inquire as to a name to call her.

“Ari; Ari larim.” Short and simple, Sir Mallot figured that was all he was going to get out of her, well that and perhaps a few more growls at the other wolfs.

“Well Ari, I have a job for you. But I’m afraid that it requires your wolf and I don’t want to push you, having no clue for how long you ran and all.” Straight to the point, he tried desperately to get even the slightest amount of information out of her tightly pursed lips. Though he knew it was futile, truth be told she may not know it, or believe it for that matter, but he truly did care. Not only did he have an exceptionally big heart but he also had an Eagle’s eye for those in distress.

A run through the woods might do her good.

“I ran plenty but my muscles need to be worked out or I’ll be sore all week, it’s not that I don’t want to run but I may not have the energy for it.” Yet there was pleading in her voice upon the word run and her glance towards the woods told him he had thought correctly, she needed to run.

“Wolf form is preferred but this task can be accomplished by a human form, though it will take longer in the latter of the two. Don’t wear yourself out, I don’t want to have you stuck in the woods and have it be my fault. Your task is very simple, due to my dwarven nature I can not reach the sought after object. Don’t look at me like that, as if I aren’t embarrassed enough with out the looks.” He gave her a pointed stare when her look of amusement didn’t immediately fade, but he regretted it when her face contorted in fear of God knows only what. Indeed she was a frightful lass. “Don’t look at me like that either lass, I have the heart of a grandfather and I take humor in good stride, you need not be afraid of me. Besides what could I, Sir Mallot dwarven old guy, do to a majestic wolf such as your self? Nay you surely could whip my hide, but between you and me this gets out to no one. Or else I’ll be teased to no end by the very pack that I have helped raise.” He sighed and shook his head at the very thought. Ari’s face returned to a calm yet amused look, and for the first time in years she suspected her eyes held a twinkle.

“Now as I was saying-“, Sir Mallot continued, “Your task entails the finding of a certain type of plant, you might be familiar with it, Aconite. Better know as Monkshood. Though normal Aconite grows upon the fertile soil of the decomposed forest floor, the Aconite I seek is much more unordinary. It is nestled high in the branches of the ancient Elder Tree, which rests in the center of this particular outcropping of the forest that my cottage is situated in. It blooms but once every three years and my dear this is the third year and my stocks have run out. I need three sprigs of the plant taken from the highest branch of the Elder tree, be warned though the tree will not give up the enchanted plant easily for it and the Aconite are guarded by pixies, blighters the lot of them but they posses the ability to make me laugh.” There was a kind smile upon his face and then a look of amusement as he conjured up memories of when the pixies had played various tricks on him.

“Though you need not fear a fight, they should relinquish their defensive nature. All you have to do is tell Grand’da Dwarf Mallot sent you.”

Ari couldn’t help it, she had managed to listen intently up until the Grand’da Dwarf part and then her husky voice fell from her lips in throws of laughter, shaking the very foundation in her bare feet.

“Yes, yes very funny I know.” His amusement not only showed on his wrinkled face but it also colored his voice causing it too lower slightly half an octave, his laughter was rich and deep. Quite a change from his usual frail yet strong voice.

Ari’s toes dug into the dirt and the wind ripped around her moaning through the tree’s surrounding the Wood and stone cottage. Her laughter still rose high above then before being carried away upon the wind.

They were finally done laughing, though they still held broad smiles, both were standing across from each other encased in silence.

“Are you sure you will be able to make it to the tree and back, you could always do it tomorrow.” Sir Mallot uncrossed his arms and shoved his hands roughly into his plaid vest pockets. His well worn shoes rubbed in the dirt.

“I’ll make it, I think you for taking me in Sir Mallot, and you shall not regret it.”

Without another word she was leaping through the air, light as a feather, a wolf before she even touched down.

What a magnificent sight to behold. White as snow was her fur, and her eyes were as bright as moonlight, pale yellow in color.

Sir Mallot found himself staring in awe as she passed, her fur rippling in the wind and her paws kicking up dust. What a sight indeed.

۰۰۰

The Change, the most glorious thing to her. The revealing of one’s soul and wolf.

She flew past Oaks and Conifers kicking up pin needles. She had missed this, the rush, the feeling of being unstoppable. The joy. Running had once been the only joy to her, until she ran without thought. And now the place where she ended up was her joy.

۰۰۰

White fur clashed with green scenery, there one second gone without a trace. The wolf ran aimlessly, heading for the middle of the forest, leaving dust in her wake. Had some stranger been looking from afar they might mistake her as a renegade angel flying low through the tree.

Animals stopped to watch this wonder as she passed them, dodging trees and thorns, ripping leaves.

Puffs of air ran past the wolves open jowls revealing pearl white teeth, free of blood stain.

She stopped, breathing hard, but feeling no repercussions as per her over exertion of her haunches.

Rays of sunshine streamed through the cover of the leaves over head, causing patches of light to illuminate and yet shadow certain parts of the forest. Birds could clearly be heard chirping their delight in the heated pools of light.

Before long she was on the move again, not a single thought on her mind.

Again she raced past trees, the colors all becoming a blur until suddenly they all disappeared, and she was left to skid to a stop in a wide clearing alight with sunshine and green with grass.

Below her paws she could feel the loose earth; she savored the feeling running her claws back and forth in it, making deep crevices, she could almost feel the earthworms scuttle away from her. Her eyes quickly flashed to take in her surroundings, pale yellow reflecting green.

۰۰۰

Grass blades danced in the wind, each one a different color, unique in their own way. Acorns dotted random spots in the green sea, some so far from mothering trees that it was a wonder how they had managed to escape so far into the clearing, although with all the squirrels weaving their ways through the branches it became an easily solved mystery.

But these were far from the most extraordinary features that chose to grace the clearing with there presences. Amid the mass of tree’s ranging from Oaks to Sakura tree’s blossoming with Cherries, bright red dots pinned against heavenly lush pink, amid these many and rare types of tree’s stood what could only be seen as the queen of the forest.

She stood over fifty feet tall, her branches spread wider then her length; thinning out and resulting in a fading of shadow into light, the perfect conjoined match. There are no other trees like her, with her ancient birth and life no other’s survived as long as this, and the knowledge of her past had been lost long again, many years before even the time of the wolves, before magic.

The wind whispered through her leaves, playing a silent melody like a sad violin serenade, weaving around the clearing; demanding all attention, until the breeze died down ending on a long low note, the enchantment was broken. She was a ship commanding the sea of green surrounding her.

Age had worn many a marks upon her skin, she stood strong, the wind had bent her branches, and she grew relentlessly. Her gnarled roots took firm hold in the earth disappearing far below the surface ensuring her ability to survive during drought, living off of the earth’s own plentiful ground water rich in vitamins and minerals, silently the earth gave and gave, and took none.

Nearing her trunk thick rose bushes grew, their thorns acting as the Elder’s protector, who would ever know that it surely was the other way around. Patches were torn from the Elder’s bark and branches, yet she had not a single fallen limb.

Small blue flowers could be seen blooming up in her highest branches, surely over fifty feet from the grass softened ground.

Several owl holes dotted many of her branches, and birds nestled high, singing their tunes.

Stunned by awe Ari didn’t dare move, for fear of disrupting such a peaceful and powerful moment. But the moment could not last long.

Even now she could catch the movements of the pixies as they revealed themselves from their homes among the leaves.

Some small, some large, sunlight streamed through their opaque wings. Their whole bodies were only the length of her forearm, from elbow to paw. They buzzed angrily at the sight of her, their little wings fluttering up a mass of old and withered leaves that were placed upon the branches by the wind.

For what it was worth, they appeared to her as ethereal beings. With their tiny little heads surrounded in the morning sun, yet the shadows they were shroud in were as black as night.

She had two options, sit here and let them come, or do exactly as Sir Mallot had said.

She was no fool.

۰۰۰

Bones reconstructing, hair lengthening, all was painful. Ari’s eyes shrank and turned to a pale green before finally returning to their original hazel-kissed, deep green. White fur grew shadows and tones of red until reaching a full red onslaught. She could feel every individual hair shrink back into her body, waiting until the next time they were released.

The change was complete.

۰۰۰

The girl was crouched in a stance, hands resting on the ground keeping pressure off of them. Her legs were bent, one of them flat against her bare chest and the other angled in and resting farther out.

Her red bob, tangled with leaves and wildflower blossoms, covered half her face, allowing only one eye visible. Her full pale lips were clenched and her eyes seemed to dart from each moving creature with amazing speed, staying only long enough to take in their appearance.

The tiny but dangerous pixies advanced upon her, using a grid system to form a line and ranks; smallest in the back, largest in the front, all of them flanking an ancient wrinkled pixie that appeared to be as old as the Elder tree itself.

They were almost upon her, floating low in the air, their magic easily visible now. They did not get a chance to use it for the crouched girl bowed her heads and spoke with a quiet voice.

“Grand’da Dwarf Mallot sent me; he requires three Aconite blossoms from the highest branch of the Elder tree.” The girl did not look up until she had finished, now she cast a disdainful eye towards the affronting pixie.

Each pixie gazed at her together for long stretches of time as though trying to catch hint of a lie on the wind and in her face. The tension was thick enough to crash a car into.

“Your name wolf ling?” The elder pixies smoky and wind toned voice broke suddenly through the tension, surrounding them in the clearing spreading the same way that the melody the wind played on the Elder tree’s leaves had. The girl flinched out of surprise.

“Ari Larim.” With her wits gathered around her she answered.

“I am Ashlin, elder pixie and head guardian of my dear friend Elder tree. For generations longer then man itself I have been by this tree’s side, each day looking out over the forest and watching the sunset. We pixies are not accepted by other fea kind, only old Sir Mallot is our friend. But I sense there is something different about you.”

Ashlin paused a moment to observe the young wolf ling once more. One look was all it took to have Ari shaking again.

“You and I, as I see, are not different at all. In fact I would go as far as to say that we are kindred spirits. Sir Mallot accepts all; you are again another show of that honorable trait. Perhaps he also can see your want to be accepted and love for it shines in aura stronger then everything except for your kindness.” The pixies red painted lips were now turned up in an encouraging smile that only widened when the wolf ling raised her head again revealing her astonished and blushing face.

All other pixies seemed to now gaze at the wolf ling with respect and awe, for indeed the brightness of her aura seemed to shine brighter then most.

“Dear child, you have been treated wrongly in your past, but do not fear you are safe with Sir Mallot. The last wolf he picked up and took care of was a right well prat if you don’t mind me saying. Just three years ago it was him that had been sent and he took no kindness upon our tree or among my people, nearly killed one of my own closest friends when she tried to stop him from hurting the Elder tree further then he already had. That day the Elder tree lost a branch, the first one in over 500 years that the tree has lost. So you’ll have to excuse my prying into your past through your soul.”

The girl quickly shook her head and lowered it once more.

The clearing once again filled with silence, but no longer was it an uncomfortable, tension filled silence. It was a silence of memories as each creature fell under the spell of wind shifts and chirping birds.

Ashlin floated above the ground, hovering. Her blue fairy wings fluttered for a moment before she descended. Her dress coiled around her in ruffles and waves and the light blue ethereal fabric accented her auburn waist length hair that was currently held back in two floppy braids. She outstretched her arms and grasped Ari’s face, gently lifting her chin.

Ari’s green eyes reflected the radiance surrounding Ashlin and shines bounced brightly off of her tears that still threatened to fall out. Blue eyes searched green and soon both were smiling, one with tears streaming down her face and the other looking upon with a kind smile.

“You and I are not different at all.” It was just a whisper, a reassurance but Ashlin’s voice gave it so much more feeling then any human could ever manage.

Slowly Ashlin released the girls chin and backed away, her arms were still outreached and a powerful wind filled the circle within the trees.

۰۰۰

Grass blades danced in merriment and tree swayed to a rhyme as old and familiar as time. The pixies let themselves be carried on the wind, riding the currents, but all the while keeping their gazes upon Ari.

The once blue sky became overruled with thunderheads, blocking the afternoon sun. The smell and coppery zing of magic filled the air, coloring the air with a metallic taste. Flowers popped out of the ground feeding upon the uncontrolled magic before disappearing, wilting and dieing as Ashlin drew the magic in and directed it towards Ari.

The grass blew apart and the magic quickly grew visible as it speed from the Pixie’s hands towards Ari.

Crackling and leaving a melody in the air it soon reached Ari, blinding her.

The girl cringed and had to stop herself from running in fear, fear of an attack, of pain, of betrayal. But she to worry not for the flying ball of energy stopped just a mere hair from her.

Slowly and cautiously it advanced forward spreading and forming over her skin.

۰۰۰

Ari’s claws grew and clenched at the earth in fear as the unfamiliar feel of magic slid across her skin, hugging her like a second skin. It moved almost as though it was a living breathing thing with organized thought. It easily squeezed through the crevices under here knees on her folded legs that were beginning to cramp.

Ari’s eyes were squeezed shut and her sharp canine was visible on her bottom lip as she nervously gnawed at it, anticipating anything and everything.

The feeling of the magic on her skin did not fade; it was simply stationary, unmoving and quickly growing warm until it was barely noticeable against her bare skin.

Ari’s eyes were still closed but no longer squeezed and wrinkled; now she looked as though she was waiting for something.

Her waiting silence was answered by a collection of gasps and claps.

Ari’s eyes quickly snapped open in alarm and wonder, she did not have to look far to discover that they were all looking at her. Even the squirrels that had been stocking acorns and the owls that were once resting were now looking her their heads cocked to one side.

Looking down green eyes widened in amazement before once again filling with tears.

Laughing in joy she drew her arms from the earth and raised her self on unsteady legs. Wind flowed around her carrying her hair in a whirlwind and her laughter echoed through the clearing.

Her feet barely on the ground Ari twirled, arms out, mouth wide in enjoyment, eyes filled with thanks, she turned her gaze towards the sky and let loose one more laugh; an amazing sound dancing like a bell weaving and wavering, even more enchanting then Ashlin’s own voice.

۰۰۰

The pixies laughed in merriment, watching the wolf ling dance like the grass blades.

The magic had been a simple gift from Ashlin, a simple yet amazing gift. For pixies do not give boons easily, not even Sir Mallot had been gifted with something of this magnitude.

The magic had been formed for the purpose to give Ari something to remember the pixies by; Ashlin had not chosen what form it would take.

Like the air it had flowed over her and solidified leaving behind a work of art.

It was of the deepest green, matching the forest itself, the lace was of the most beautiful brown and hair ribbons wove through Ari’s hair, a light sea-foam green. The dress had a high waist just below her chest, marked by a deep brown ribbon that was adorned with Peridot, which shone with light and reflected deep pools of green. The hem of the dress ended just above the knees with a wide skirt allowing free movement. The sleeves were long, over lapping her hands but were open with a slit traveling up from the end to just past her elbow. They were embroidered with jade beards no bigger then Ari’s fingernail.

Her feet were bear but see-through green tinted leggings ended right at her ankle, disappearing under her dress.

۰۰۰

Other pixie kind bowed before her beauty and animals flocked to the edge of the clearing to look upon her, hidden carefully in the underbrush of berry shrubs almost invisible.

Ari stopped twirling to gaze questionably at the pixies, most importantly Ashlin. But Ashlin was no longer facing her.

“Tuathla, be a dear and travel up to the highest branch and draw three Aconite sprigs from the Elder please.” Ashlin’s voice called out and in answering a blond haired girl pixie in the back closest to the tree bowed before taking off from the air stream with a mighty flap of her wings.

High up her weightless body soared, purple wings moving majestically. It was not long before she was out of site within the tree’s branches. Ashlin turned back to Ari.

“It will be getting dark soon; you will do good to hurry back to Sir Mallot’s I fear it will rain like it has not in a long time, not since the joining the lost daughter Eyla to her mother after many years.” Noticing Ari’s questioning stare she continued in explanation, “Tis' an old pixie legend passed down for generations, the telling a half pixie half human dieing and returning to her mother, who was a pixie, to learn of her heritage, alas it is a fair sad story indeed and I will tell it to you sometime but not now I fear.”

With her hands by her side Ari nodded and mumbled an okay before once again inspecting her dress, such a beautiful gift, she couldn’t help but fell that Ashlin was trying to tell her something.

The pixies began to dissipate in preparations for the incoming storm. It wasn’t long before Tuathla, carrying three bright blue hooded flowers, came gliding down from the mighty branches of the tree; she stopped in front of Ari.

Not quite sure what to do Ari clasped both hands together palm up and held them underneath the pixie, who in turn dropped the flowers in her hand and mumbled a quick bye before scurrying back to her home amongst the mighty tree’s leaves.

Now it was just Ari and Ashlin gazing at each, like two lonely souls caught in the wind they seemed to understand each other.

Ari’s hands closed over the flowers, softly cradling them in an encasing of warm flesh. She lowered her arms.

“Ashlin-”, Ari started her voice questioning, “If it rains how am I to keep the dress clean, I fear turning wolf will inevitably tear it to shreds?”

Ashlin let out a twinkle of a laugh before answering.

“Dear Ari, my child the dress is no ordinary dress, you should know, it’s made of pure unsoiled magic, which has many properties in itself. The dress will never soil, and it forms with your wolf. It sinks into your fur-“; she explained further, “while it will not be at all visible or anywhere near looking like a dress, the magic will seep into you, leaving not but a slight ethereal tint to your already white and beautiful fur. It will simply turn back into a dress on your body when you change back to you human shell.”

Ari blushed slightly at the compliment on her fur, thinking there was nothing special about it. To Ashlin she was so grateful, and it showed upon her face for all to see, pure un-marred emotion.

Ashlin wondered now looking upon Ari’s childlike expression how such a girl with a childhood like hers could hold her childlike spirit and innocence intact, how a girl with so many scars could trust so easily. In a way the wise and old Ashlin admired and was awed by Ari. Such a creature, she thought.

Shaking her head Ashlin spoke.

“Quickly now you must go, for it will rain soon, and while the dress will remain unsoiled it will not stay dry, and while you will get wet as well be warned that Father Lightening does not favor anyone so much as to not strike them down it they do not heed his presence.” Using hand gestures, Ashlin shooed away Ari until the girl could do no more then offer the most sincere thanks and stumble her way out of the clearing, tripping when she looked back one last time to see Ashlin hastily flutter back to the Elder, her aura seeming to have dulled slightly.

۰۰۰

Moss squelched slightly underneath her feet and she paid no heed to the various creatures far too daring that were following closely behind her, drawn by Ashlin’s magic which had formed into her dress, mesmerized.

The girl head was down and her flame red hair was tucked carelessly behind her slightly pointed ears, ears which she had been told she had inherited from her unknown mother, who she had not once seen.

A thoughtful expression was upon her face and she chewed on her lip, not noticing the small trickle of blood erupting from it; which trailed down her chin only to be washed away with steady drops of rain that fell on her face when she lifted it swiftly to the raining sky, all the while still thinking.

Giant thunderheads raged on through the sky silently moving too and fro leaving a torment of wetness where ever they rested, rain poured down in sheets of cool pearls hitting the ground and treetops with a soft pitter-patter.

Drops of these tiny pearls which reflected color and light then fell from the tree tops landing on the earth, dampening the already wet soil and making the very earth hum with contentment.

In green leaves and brown branches birds could be spied spreading their wings and protecting their young from cold; selflessly giving her health for theirs, and slight but noble risk. Young and old squirrels and owls could be seen tucked carefully within their warm holes, living off the inner warmth of their housing trees. All was as it should be in the world, here in this forest. There was no wars, there were no starving families, and most of all there was love, true unbridled love; spreading around into every nook and cranny. As the older the animals got; the more their respect for fellow forest dwellers turned into friendly love, and the more they watched from afar all the while smiling, as their offspring and grand offspring tried desperately to get along with each other.

All was as it should be in the animal’s eyes. So then why was such a girl be so lonely?

۰۰۰

The soft pitter-patter of the rain surrounded her, like a constant buzzing always there but hardly noticed.

She felt like she was walking on the air, her feet barely touching the ground; her thoughts taking her to another place.

Rabbits ran past her feet, only to scamper back to her; taking shelter in the wide skirt of her glowing but wet dress. She paid them no heed.

One hand was positioned just above her collar bone to fiddle with a gem pendant. She could swear she felt it heat under her touch, and happiness seeped from her soul; leaving her as though she was leaving all she needed behind to return to the human world.

Which, she thought, was ridiculous for she was simply leaving the forest. Leaving behind pixies she barely knew but somehow had grown to love, and leaving behind an Elder tree that reminded her so much of an unknown home she will never have. Again she thought, it’s not like I’ll never see them again, I just have to see Ashlin again, and she and I have the same soul, the same pain.

Ari sighed and pulled herself out of her musings to find herself half way to Sir Mallot’s cottage, she was traveling on a path that she had neglected to use earlier when she ran as wolf. She preferred decomposing moss and leaves tickling against her paw pads rather then hard and well worn ground.

To her amazement little tiny woodland creatures were surrounding her feet taking shelter underneath her dress. She giggled slightly, startling a few of the animals. They looked up at her.

One thing about the wolf business she never liked was the hunt, and this reminded her of the very reason why.

With giant and innocent eyes they looked up at her, their noses wiggling slightly as they sniffed the air breathing in the scent of rain and wet earth. A few animals let out various squawks and drew closer to her nuzzling against her legs. It started to rain harder.

It was like a fairytale come to life, one of those fairytales where the princesses befriended many creatures and got her prince. Thinking this Ari once again fell into sadness, she would never get a prince and this world had not but planned a hard and painful road for her. She knew better then to think fanciful thoughts.

Ari’s tears mingled with the rain drops now. Not noticeable, but there all the same.

She walked quickly now, running from her anger and sadness, the creatures which had surrounded her scampered away when the steady down fall of rain broke it’s pattern to let the wind switch directions.

Leaved swept up and branched swayed, the forest grew darker and darker when and on-sweeping line of black rolled in replacing the docile grey thunderheads, making them look like the sweetest thing compared to horrible black brush strokes.

The wind picked up, and though light, no doubt shining from Sir Mallot’s cabin, could be seen in the distance up the path Ari became slightly frightened.

Remembering an old forest song she had once heard from a female in her old pack, a forest song she loved so much that she mesmerized, she sang away her fear, marching forward on the path.

Oh sweet merciful moon
And flowers in bloom
I do thee sing
For your sweet angel wings

Through Storms that hither below
Your light will be all I know
The sweet caress of you smile
Will fade away the fears that pile

The quivering was leaving her voice now and she sang with a strong voice, veering through the blackening onslaught or rain, head held high, eyes squeezed against the rain.

And I will dance and sing
I will praise you will all my being
Oh moon mother
Do you listen I wonder

With quick steps and melodies anew
I promise I will find you
Where the flowers bloom
With you oh Mother Moon

She could make out Sir Mallot’s quant cottage clearly now through the rain; she ended the Forest song on a bright and cheery high note, sounding like the moaning of an ethereal being.

She feet slid deafly on brown rain blackened mud, and she dripped to and fro making it under the out jutting edge of the cottage’s roof not but a second before the sky was alight with blue fire and thunder boomed so loud the very earth itself shook in it wake. Forgotten blue blossoms rested in her hand as she shook herself dry, looking like quite the dog.

Water droplets flew from all parts of her and her hair stuck to her face; threatening to crawl inside her mouth should she open it. She swiped at it carelessly, accidentally nicking her own cheek, it stung but bled little.

After drying herself off to the best of her ability and succeeding in thoroughly wetting the tiny strip of concrete she was standing on and the welcome home rug, she silently entered the wooden home.

The drips of her dress, which was amazingly yet not surprisingly drying remarkably fast, rolled around her sensitive ears like marbles dropping onto a bare floor.

She spied light coming from underneath a door near the back of the alcove, earlier she had taken inventory of the house and its various rooms, and it was not hard to remember that the room was a kitchen.

She snuck up on the door, every intention of Sir Mallot. Her feet ghosted over the hard oak floor, making not a sound, and the dress swung quietly and in small movements.

She was just upon the door, hand raised and poised to knock hard against the worn arch door when voices floated gently to her ears.

She stilled to listen.

“I never should have sent her! What was I thinking?” That was Sir Mallot’s voice she realized, there was a screeching as someone moved a chair and soon footsteps paced through the room.

“Not even I knew it was going to storm Sir Mallot, you shouldn’t blame yourself, do not worry if she does not return by the end of the storm then I swear by all I know that we will find her for you.” An unknown voice, gruff yet soft, reassured the distraught Mallot.

“Yes, but if I had sent Alex, he after all already knew the location of the tree, and although he has indeed earned his place among the pixies as an enemy, I know that he can deal with a storm of this magnitude.

Thunder flashed out side, quickly followed by crackling lightening causing Ari to jump and miss part of the conversation. When she returned her attention back to the door, Sir Mallot’s voice was raised making it clearly heard through the thick door.

“You DO NOT understand she’s my-“

Sir Mallot voice broke off and the stranger spoke up, almost interrupting his ranting but following only a second later.

“Calm yourself Mallot, she’s here.” Fear quickened her heart, and she froze, footsteps walked quickly towards the door and it took not but a second for the reason for her fear to register in her mind.

The smell of alpha wolf, the power, and the overbearing presence surrounded her.

Memories, best left in the dark, resurfaced. She could not move.

The door creaked open.


A/N- Honestly dont you people know how to rate or atleast comment, i'll discontinue my story if no one comments that they like it.

I think it's fucking awesome, but I just read it, that's why I never commented, I think the characters are great, and it's an enjoyable read so far, I will look forward to it's continuance. I love it, grammar is good, characters are good, metaphors are written descriptively and poetically, the general storyline is above the average of stories on here, and you stick with it well. Well written, well thought, it's a great start. I don't get on much but I assure you I will be back to check this thread. I gave it an overall 5 which I have never done.

Why thank ya' ^_^ makes me so happy Okay, so heres the next section and dont worry if it's confusing, it's supposed to be. Especially when the POV switches over to her because she's inside her mind but for the first half she has no clue who she is and then she has to face all the memories she has spent her entire life running from. This is how i make her grow into a stronger person.



Chapter 2 Smitten Alpha


“Won’t you join u-“His voice broke off on an unsure note, sensing the fear that rolled off her in waves.

He had smelled wolf, but this girl looked none the part. Her eyes were wide in fear, their emerald depths sparkling. He could visibly see her shaking, her fiery hair sticking to her pale, and freckled face. Deathly blue lips gapped open but nothing came out. Not moments later she began to fall.

“Sir Mallot!”, The stranger called as he caught the fevered girl.

۰۰۰

Blackness all around her, empty space she wandered. Who was she, why was she here?

Off in the distance echoing through the blankness, were those voices? Emerald eyes widened in the darkness, there was no light yet she could see, a glow appeared to float around her.

Suddenly she was falling, screaming but not releasing a sound mouth open wide in a soundless plea for help, for remembrance, and for the strength to save herself. From what she did not know.

۰۰۰

“H-help me…” A raspy voice escaped past pale, cracked lips, blood seeping from a new wound upon them. Hands gripped an orange blanket, breath quickened, her fever rose.

Sir Mallot looked at her in desperation, his hand reaching to grip hers. They had to ride her fever out.

She began to whimper.

۰۰۰

She was floating now, being held in thin air, red hair floated around her face and her arms rose slightly. Bare feet pointed towards, something, ground, more blackness? Like sinking through water her plain white large t-shirt moved around her and she landed. Standing on a platform of darkness she waited.

Surrounded by darkness.

۰۰۰

“How is she?” His voiced was strained and the Blond haired alpha looked his way, blue eyes holding little worry.

“Her fever has yet to break Sir Mallot, you should still be asleep, and don’t even begin to argue with me; you stayed with her last night, now it’s my turn, I’ll wake you up when it gets dark.”

Sir Mallot stared worriedly at Ari, before turning from the Blond alpha and returning to his room.

The image of her pale face drenched in sweat and her breath seeping past broken lips, any chance of sleep gone.

۰۰۰

Wolf ling.

A whisper, no a scream. Pain flaring white hot. She screamed, hands flying to her ears, but to no avail the voiced echoed through her head, she fell to her knees caving under the pressure of the voice with no body.

Do you know who you are?

She screamed again.

The pain disappeared, her eyes opened shining green upon a makeshift world. The scenery had changed. Light in her blackness.

A wall of white, she had reached a barrier. Thousands of screams came from the other side, pleading to be released. Her own voice screaming surrounded her, yet she herself made not a sound.

Let’s find out who you are then, wolf ling. You cannot run forever.

No pain assaulted her this time. She was being drawn towards the vast glowing wall that faded into the blackness. Her arms lifted, palms landed flat against a solid surface. A doorway formed blinding blackness in blinding white.

A flood gate set loose.
۰۰۰

Her steady breathes hitched, then stopped all together.

Blue eyes widened in panic. Lifting his head he gasped. Golden wings, large and shimmering slowly became visible. There yet never quite solid. Disappearing with her beginning breathes, tears stole from her eyes.

۰۰۰

This is who you are.

Memories, painful memories. That’s what the wall held behind it. She recalled her name.

Ari.

The voice’s whispers no longer hurt but they brought the weight of sadness and famine, she bared the weight of her memories, all at once on skinny pale shoulders.

Her entire life was playing through her head. She couldn’t shut her eyes, she couldn’t turn her head. All the beatings, the tortures thrust in her face, leaving no way out. Tears burst forth and her eyes squeezed shut. The memories only came faster.

Her fifth birthday party, there she was all dressed up and forced to wander through the woods, no food, no survival skills had been taught to her by her severe father. This was his lesson.

She remembered thinking she deserved it, to be abandoned in the woods, starving for a week. She still loved her father then, he had not broken her.

She hugged him when he came to find her, her eyes thin and watery, her hair tangled and her lip bloodied in one corner. She had been punished.

More and more memories flashed on and on, never letting up in their forever torment of her soul. Her tears feel freely now.

She was damaged, broken. Not worth fixing. She opened her heart to the memories, drawing in their essence, her soul.

She knew who she was, she could no longer hide from her past, and she couldn’t run from her pain. She would accept it and grow. She would mend herself.
۰۰۰

He couldn’t believe it, he checked again.

Her fever had broken. He called for Sir Mallot.

۰۰۰

Be strong
Live long
To your heart be true
Through and through

Wolf ling don’t cry
I’ll sing you a lullaby
Here you’re loved
One day you’ll be someone’s beloved

So don’t tear up
Let you smile lift up
Be free wolf ling
Know you’re loved by me

A smile graced pink lips and she hummed happily to herself. She found her self laughing a real laugh for the first time since her fifth birthday party. She had grown.

This was how the voice found her. Laughing and signing with an angel’s voice.

Do you know who you are?

Again it asked. She had an answer this time.

“I am a wolf ling, running from nothing but running for the sake of running. I am Ari Larim, bastard daughter of Luke Larim, a horrible father who will one day die and get what he deserves. The question is who you are.” The smile still graced her lips and slowly her appearance began to change, she was herself again. The dress was the one Ashlin gave to her, the magic glowed brightly here, protecting her.

You have learned from your fear, I will answer you. I am your soul, I am the part of you that has forever and will forever be tainted by the darkness harbored from all you pain. One day I will glow white as an angels feather. One day you will be free of your pain.

Before she could respond, the smile no longer on her lips, she began to be pulled. She was being rushed towards light. Sound came to her ears.

There it was again, the smell of alpha. Swiftly it crossed her mind that she should be afraid, she should run, but she felt none of the familiar old fear she had grown so accustomed to having. She felt nothing but weariness; her body ached all over; quite resembling the pain she had felt after running away from her old pack.

Her body was encased in layers of hot blankets, making her sweat as she just laid there.

“When did her fever break?” Sir Mallot’s voice was weak, and colored with exhaustion. Ari kept her eyes closed, resting for a brief moment before she would have to open them to the fierce light she could feel warming her eyelids.

“Not to long ago, though she may be out for several more hours, she’s fine now. Just resting, like you should be doing, I can see the bags underneath your eyes.” The most soothing voice she had ever heard spread through the room and caressed every corner and cranny.

“I disagree Eoin, I must stay. I do not wish to think what kind of panic will set in for Ari should she wake up alone with an Alpha in her room, she has fear of regular werewolves as it is.” She heard Sir Mallot’s feet begin to shuffle towards her bed, and the rubbing sound caused by the chair as the stranger Alpha, now known as Eoin, got up and began to walk towards the door.

۰۰۰

Green eyes open to dust swirling in beams of light, her eyelashes black eyelashes bushed against pale cheeks and began to breathe through her nose, closing her mouth off to the dust.

She could hear Sir Mallot begin to seat down next to her in a straight back chair, he had noticed she awake yet.

Startling Eoin and Sir Mallot, Ari spread her arms out, threw back the mound of blankets and lifted herself on wobbly arms. Her red bob was mussed and sticking out at odd angles, the very definition of bed head. Using still wobbly arms she pushed herself back until she could rest her back against the head board of her bed, then she turned to the men, smiling brightly.

“Sir Mallot, you will do no such thing. Not only can I see the bags under your eyes but I can also hear them in your voice, you need rest. Don’t worry about me I’ll be fine, in fact I’m perfectly fine right now, so go get some sleep.” A raspy voice did nothing to help her cause and she too late realized what she was saying, and surprised her self when she didn’t flinch or fell fear of a beating. Odd she thought.

Getting Sir Mallot to leave the room to get some rest took just a bit more shooing before she succeeded in convincing him she was fine. She watched as he shuffled dead on his feet down to the third doorway on the right and entered.

A loud squeak of bed springs and a loud oomph coming from his room made her smile and silently giggle.

She jumped slightly when she was brought out of her musing by a brief throat clearing. The Alpha had resumed his seat next to her bed. He just sat there looking at her for several minutes, his gaze scrutinizing trying to gauge how well she actually was. Finally he opened his mouth to speak.

“Nice to see you’re finally awake, do remember anything that happened?” He was looking at her again.

“All I remember is blue eyes and being vaguely aware that I was fainting, and that’s it till the point not but 5 minutes ago when I woke up. May I inquire as to who you are?” Ari brought her arms around and folded them in her lap as she said this, snuggling her feet deeper into the warmth of her blankets.

“You may, I am Eoin Virum, Leader of the Alva village pack. But you can just call me Eoin.” Informative and straight to the point, with all that facts, yet that’s not what caused amazement to blossom on her cheeks.

“But the village of Alva is over 200 miles from where my old pack is stationed. It’s impossible that I ran that long, I should have died.” She was no longer gazing at Eoin, she had turned her head at the mention of her past and a thoughtful gaze grazed her face.

Eoin, not wanting to frighten her out of her musings, let the information sink in before shocking her even more.

“Ai’ and you would have, had it not been for Sir Mallot’s tonic. He makes his tonic out of the blue buds of the plant Aconite. He’s perfected it to the point where it can restore almost three fourths the energy drained. He saved your life when he didn’t have too; it’s the way Mallot is. I should know; he took care of me for my first few years here before the retired Alpha of my pack adopted me and made me Alpha.” A slight smile graced Eoin lips and Ari found herself looking at him, taking in his appearance.

He appeared to be no older then her, so about 18 or so, and he wore a plain white shirt and blue jeans. His boots could be viewed through the frayed edges of blue thread. He appeared skinny yet you could make out the outlines of shaped muscles. He was built for speed.

His face was kind, pulling you in and wrapping you in a cocoon of serenity, with a curving nose and bright blue eyes it was a wonder how he could be an Alpha. His face was absent of and facial hair and his head was covered in a thick, slightly curly, and unruly mound of blond hair, resembling the color of straw.

The point of his right ear was visible through the straw hair, revealing a silver hoop with a chain link that disappear back into the mess of weak curls.

Over all, he looked like a regular teenage boy, but the power radiating off of him told a different tale.

۰۰۰

Eoin is a cool character, I'm glad to see you've written so much, I think I like Eoin the best because he reminds me of me.

Suddenly Eoin stood up, startling Ari and filling the room with a loud squeak.

“I shall make you some soup.” Clapping his hands as he spoke, Eoin exited the room at a brisk pace, mumbling something incoherently.

Ari’s face was twisted in puzzlement before it turned into amusement. He didn’t know that she hated soup.

She waited several minutes in silence, listening to Eoin fumble around the kitchen. The sunlight streaming in through the wood rimmed window above her bed was warm an comforting, had it not already been blistering in the room, she was sure she would have enjoyed it.

She needed to get out of the heat.

Swinging porcelain legs over the edge of the bed, the girl gingerly tested her strength; not wanting to over exert herself. When she found she could stand perfectly well on strong but sore legs she lifted her trembling hands from the padding of the bed.

Getting to the front door was not the hard part, no the hard part was getting past Eoin without him noticing.

Her feet made not a sound as she quickly crept down the hall, clutc