(It’s long sorry) The sun had shown brightly that day, penetrating through the top of the forest. The light fell onto the face of a small frail girl, about the age of nine. Slowly she started to stir, her eyes opening to the light. Reaching her hands up to her eyes she rubbed the sleep from them. Sitting up she removed the covered from over her, she wore a torn like night gown. Nothing that was appealing to the eye, placing her bare feet onto the floor she removed her night gown. Walking to a small chest she opened it up and took out a ragged looking dress, one that looked a little bit better than her night gown. Walking to the wall she looked into a broken mirror, picking up a brush which the handle was half broken she started to brush her hair. It was long and blonde, she kept herself clean. Even though most kids in her position wouldn’t even bother. Placing down the brush she quietly left her room, walking down a long hallway she went into the kitchen. Picking up a basket she exited the house. Walking along through the forest she headed towards a place where she knew many berries existed. Finally arriving she knelt down and started picking the berries, wanting to go as slow as possible. The longer she was away from home the better it was to her.
Later her basket being full she stood up and took the basket handle firmly in her hand. She carried the basket back to her home and entered into the small cottage. Going into the kitchen she lifted the basket up onto one of the counters. Hearing footsteps she turned and looked to the door, as it opened she seen that it was her two older brothers. Talan and Thrál entered into the kitchen. Talan the eldest, who was fifteen, walked over to the fridge and got some milk out. Thral, who was thirteen, went over to the cabinet and took out three glasses. Thral walked over to the small table and sat the glasses down. He looked over to Sehria, her shy eyes shined brightly as she looked upon her brother. Smiling Thral walked over to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders and guided her to the table. “Come on you shy little girl, need to get something in that tummy of yours.” Sehria giggled quietly and sat down at the table. Talan brought the milk over and poured all the glasses half full. Turning he walked back over to the fridge and put the milk up. Going over to the chair beside Sehria he bent down and kissed her cheek. “How’s my favorite sister this morning?” He sat down looking at her. “Well seeing that I am your only sister, I’m doing ok I suppose” She replied. He winked at her, “Your starting to be just like me smart butt.” She giggled and picked up the glass of milk and took a drink then sat it back down. Looking to him she smiled, “Never knew my butt was smart.” He laughed quietly so not to wake up their parents. Reaching over he wiped some of the milk from her top lip. All three of them sat in silence, sipping on their milk. Suddenly there was a sound of their parents door opening, both Talan and Thral looked to Sehria.
The door of the kitchen opened, a large man and a thin very attractive woman entered into the kitchen. The man walked over to the fridge and opened it up. Looking in at the milk he turned and looked at Sehria. Slamming the fridge he walked over and pulled her up out of the chair. “Get out of here and get to work! Don’t expect any lunch or supper!” He threw her down on the floor; she fell down hitting her head. She stood quickly and ran from the kitchen and started on her chores. Her brothers watched helpless, they wished that they could get away from this place. But they both knew that it was no good in wishing such a thing. Walking into her brother’s bedroom she started to clean for them. Talan and Thral turned from their parents, their father picking up each glass one by one and drinking the left over milk that had hardly been touched. Talan and Thral looked to each other then walked into their room. Talan going over to Sehria, Thral shut the door behind them. Talan took Sehria by the hand and sat her down. “Sehria, you must leave this place. Sooner or later father or mother will get out of hand, I’m afraid that they will kill you.” She looked at Thral and back at Talan. “But I don’t want to leave with you two. You’re my big brothers I can’t do anything without you.” Talan smiled and put his arms around the small fragile girl and held her close to him. “You’ll be alright Sehria….I want to see my brave little sister again.” Raising her head up to look at him, he smiled and so did she. “Don’t worry about me or Thral……you take care of yourself….here I want you to have something” he said. Reaching into his pocket and pulling out a black thread with something hanging from it. It was a crystal pendent; Thral healed it in his hand letting her look at it. “I want you to keep this close to your heart, when ever you’re in danger or hurt. Both Talan and my special friends will come to help you. Don’t ever be scared Sehria, your we both will always be with you no matter what”
Later that day, Sehria was knelt down by the fire place. Cleaning out the ashes, looking to the window she noticed that it had begun to snow. Looking back to the fireplace she continued to clean it out. Her mother walked into the room, looking over to Sehria she walked over. “Is this the best you can do?” She asked with a bitter voice. Grabbing Sehria by the hair she fisted it in her hand, pulling her head back. Sehria looked in fear upon her mothers raging eyes. Her mother threw her down onto the floor, kicking her once in the ribs she yelled at her again. “Do a better job!” Tears fell down the cheeks of Sehria as she rose up off the floor, holding herself tight. Looking around she then knelt back down and started to clean the fire place back out.
That night, she sat in her brother’s room. Thral’s arms around her he held her close to him. Rocking her back and forth just like the small child she was. Talan was looking at her side putting some medicine on it that he had managed to sneak out from the bathroom. As they sat there in silence their came a scream from the living room. Their father had gone out hunting that evening, Talan jumped off the bed and ran to the door opening it slightly, he could see the front door from the hall way. There was their mother laying dead, drenched in blood at the door. An evil looking man, their father, stood over her holding a knife. His eyes were glowing of the evil that had finally over taken his heart, soul, and mind. Talan closed the door and locked it, going over to the night stand he opened the drawer and took out the necklace. Placing it around Sehria’s neck, he turned and got a blanket wrapping her in it. He knelt down and looked into her eyes. “My dear little sister, I need to you run away from here. Never look back, I and Thral will always be with you. Please don’t’ ever come back I beg you.” Kissing her cheek, Thral also kissing her cheek they both helped her up out the window. Her bare feet hit the cold ground; it felt as if knives were being cut through them. Without hesitating though she turned and ran, holding the blanket tightly around her she ran straight into the woods. Hearing a cracking and popping noise she looked back once, her eyes fell upon her home. It was burning, tears started to form in her eyes. Turning quickly she continued on her way, running as fast as she could. Not stopping for anything, her feet hit rocks and stones cutting them all over. She would never look back, but yet when she looked forward. She saw nothing anymore, but pain and then later death.
Finally it had stopped snowing; her feet being bare were red from the cold. Looking around she was shaking like a leaf, she looked down at the crystal around her neck. She whispered to herself, “I thought this thing was supposed to help me when I’m in danger…..isn’t freezing to death danger?” Sighing she looked around, she felt her way along the trees. Trying to find her way in the dark, looking for some kind of cave to sleep in for the night. Stopping she leaned up against a tree, closing her eyes she slid down to the forest floor slowly. Wrapping her blanket around her, she held it tightly. Her shaking was worse now, she couldn’t feel anything. Looking down at her feet she put her hands on them, she felt some liquid thicker than the melted snow that was on them. She brought touched her tongue to her finger, letting her hands drop into her lap. She started to cry silently, what she had felt and tasted was her own blood.
Little did she know she was being watched by something, hidden in the dark a few trees away from her. It took a single step forward; Sehria jerked her head up and managed to whimper. “Who….who’s th…there?” The creature finally stepped out in front of her; there stood a solid black wolf. Its glowing red eyes looked upon her; she started to shake in fear. Scooting backwards, her blanket fell off of her. “Please…don’t hurt me…” she whispered. Pleading with the wolf for her life, knowing that an animal such as that would kill her if she made one wrong move. The wolf looked down at the blanket, taking it in its mouth it walked up to Sehira then went behind her. Placing the blanket on her shoulders, it pulled it around her with its teeth. Sehria looked upon the wolf in amazement; she thought that wolves were mean, nasty creatures who craved the flesh of any animal. The wolf then licked her cheek, nuzzling its nose under one of her hands. “Thank you” she said to the wolf with kindness now in her eyes. The wolf looked up into her eyes and nodded slowly. Suddenly Sehria heard a voice in her mind, “Don’t be afraid of this voice, for it is me the wolf. Your brothers asked me to look after you, for them I would do anything to repay them. You’re a very special girl Sehria, your brothers were going to tell you on your sixteenth birthday about the special gifts that you have. I will explain that all to you though in time. Come with me to my home.” Sehria nodded and stood up; they walked quickly towards his home.
They arrived thirty minutes later at the cave, entering in Sehria looked around the strange place. Looking down at the wolf as they walked she wondered what he had meant by special. Her eyes moved away from the wolf as they entered into a large circular part of the cave. To the right was a warm fire, casting shadows upon the walls of the cave. The smoke drifted up and out of a hole in the cave, looking around she spotted other wolves. A white wolf came up to her, kneeling down Sehria petted the wolf and received a lick on her cheek. Feeling the love of a new kind of family that she had never experience before, only from her brothers. She felt a little strange at first, but when the wolves started to lick her cheek and nuzzle her she felt right at home. Hearing a little yelp she looked down, in front of her was a little gray wolf pup. Giggling she reached down and picked him up. “Hello little guy” she said the pup licking her nose. The black dominate wolf came over to her. “That’s my son….we don’t have a name for him yet….do you know of one that might fit him?” Sehria looked to the little pup in her hands, and smiled once she had heard of her eldest brother talking about a wolf pup. The way he had described the pup to her, it looked exactly like the one she held now. Looking to the black wolf she nodded, “Yes I do, my brother always talked about this little guy. He always liked the name Atley…..is that name alright?” The black wolf perked his ears up then nodded. “I like that very much. Now come and lay down by the fire, you need to warm up.” Setting the pup down she stood and spread out her blanket, laying down on it next to the fire she looked down at her knees. The little pup had curled up next to her and already fallen fast asleep. Smiling she felt some fur brush against her cheek; it was the black and white wolf. Both were now lying next to her head, a small pillow lying next to them. “Take it Sehria.” The white wolf said to her through her mind. Sehria nodded and took the pillow; placing it under her head she closed her eyes. Soon, falling fast asleep.