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| | Out of the Darkness;; Book 1: Camelia | |
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Lan Fan Trustworthy Member
Posts : 2810 Join date : 2008-10-30 Age : 26 Location : USA
| Subject: Out of the Darkness;; Book 1: Camelia Sun Apr 05, 2009 2:08 pm | |
| Chapter 1: The Escape
- Spoiler:
Restrained. In chains. Apprehended. Whatever you call it, it doesn't make it any better. I still feel like I've been sunk and reduced to nothing. How can I be arrested for something that's not my fault? But I' haven't lived for a long time. I have more life to come. So what if I've been chained for 10 years, since I was 6? I didn't cause that much disaster, did I? And even if I did, it's not fair to just put me in chains!
It's impossible for even me to be immortal. But I have survived a long time without food. Ten years without a supply good enough, a human could never go. And on the outside, I looked like a human, with the long, dark silver hair and hazel eyes. But one should never judge a book by its cover. Especially me.
They say my kind is cursed. The stereotype doesn't fit. I am not exactly a werewolf. Just because I'm part wolf doesn't make me a werewolf. Transforming at the moon, killing their closest friends... ha! Definitely not me. I live to protect. To defend. I don't want destruction towards innocent people. Just those that try to hurt my friends and family.
At that thought, the night comes back to me again.
It was that dark night, the one with the intruder. At first, I thought it was one of the usual wolves outside, since my family and I live in a forest. But that was not it. A thief, robber, bandit, outside our house. I didn't know that until I heard odd noises and rustling downstairs.
I couldn't restrain myself. Although I was just six, it just happened. My eyes were blazing and cat-like as I hunched over and transformed lightning-fast into a young wolf, with the same dark, silver fur as my hair as a human. And all at once, I was a ball of fury, slashing and ripping at anything I could reach. Making a nine-foot jump from the top of the stairs to the bottom, I had directly pinned down my target and knocked him out. But, somehow, I had lost my mind and ran out of the house, claws tipped with red. And before I knew it, I was captured and thrown into a cell. There, I was stuck as human. At first, I couldn't handle staying like that, never again to become a wolf. But I had learned things by watching the sky out the window for the last ten years. I knew that tonight was something called the winter solstice, when the day was as short as it could get. With enough night cover, I could easily escape, as long as the moon was powerful enough. But it was a new moon; not a full one like in those stupid fairy tales.
The moon was just starting to rise. And finally, my fingers became claws, still tipped with the same blood-red from that night ten years ago. My eyes became a dark amber, but also a fiery lava orange. A growl grew in my throat, and finally, it became a fully fledged war cry of a howl. Now was my chance. With superior and amazing strength, I jumped at the barred window and tore with all my might. My claws dug in and dug in, feeling like they would break but still staying strong. And finally, the metal shattered, allowing me to leap through; being this thin did have its advantage.
The next step: prey. Chapter 2: Empty
- Spoiler:
My nose will lead me now. My pawsteps were silent and furtive. My nose was not only looking for prey such as deer, but also other humans.
Instinctively, I was heading towards my old home, even though I didn't know it. Since I had been out when I was carried to the prison, I didn't know which way was which. But it was instinct.
The familiar scent was beginning to rush over me. I couldn't believe how fast I was running towards Camelia Forest. That was exactly my name; Camelia. But I couldn't remember my last name. I just couldn't. I didn't even think I had a last name; usually, Hybrids don't.
I also didn't know here were other Hybrids; but I would have to find out.
The same surroundings were still there after ten years; a two-floor, wooden house in the middle of the dark forest, in a patch of snow-white and rose-pink camelia flowers; exactly what I was named after. The flowers surrounded the square-based house for about five feet on each side, save for a section of stone path that led from the outside of the garden to the brown door of the house. Cautiously, I let myself become human again, and crept inside.
My eyes quickly adjusted to the dark, due to me being a wolf Hybrid; I always had superior senses. What I didn't know was that I was the only wolf Hybrid left.
My heart seemed to calm as I sneaked further in. There was the same rectangular table with four small chairs, the same refrigerator that wasn't likely to be running, and even the sink still retained its luster after a decade. The cabinets were still silently and somberly closed, hiding whatever secrets they contained. Plates? Pots? Forks, spoons and knives?
Giving a quiet sigh, I sat down like a dog in one corner near the entrance and gazed at the dark kitchen before me. After a few seconds, my eyes caught on the stairs. I should go up there.
My heart still speeds up slightly and gradually, with each step my feet take me, higher, a few inches at a time, my hand resting nervously on the rail on my right. As I climb the last step, I look to the right and left; there is a small hall to the right, and a room on each side; right and left. To my left is one more door on the right wall, along with a bathroom straight to the left.
I decide to see if my room is still the same. Opening the door slowly, I close my eyes until it stops against the wall. My heart leaps as I realize everything is still there. My small, five-foot bed that would no longer fit me still had its covers tossed aside from when I had leaped out that day. Tears of nostalgia and happiness leaked out and seemed to come straight from my heart. There was my tiny stuffed beagle, Bracken Paw, still sitting comfortably next to the pillow. I turned my gaze to my closet at my left, still closed, and the window out right. The same one I used to gaze wistfully out of at the beatiful clearing with a small lake. I remembered when I used to climb the tree next to the lake and watch all the birds and even fish from there. Giving a small sob, I curled up on the bed and held Bracken Paw to my chest, letting the tears fall over his head. I whisper his name once in my head, and then get up, trying to stop myself from crying. It's time to see if my parents are still here.
Nervously, I tiptoe out of my bedroom, and try to push the door open; my hand has no will. But I gather the little strength I have left and open the door quickly.
Nothing.
"Where are you?" I cried out loud, seeing that the bed was made as if they, my parents, had just woken up. But it seemed that it hadn't been touched for all the time I had gone.
All the happiness in me was replaced by sadness, and the tears came again, this time of sadness. I collapsed on the floor, wanting desperately to know where they had gone. Had they left? Were they dead? Had they been captured and blamed? If only I knew...
Last edited by Raincloud on Thu May 14, 2009 7:10 pm; edited 3 times in total | |
| | | Becca! One Special Member!
Posts : 5620 Join date : 2008-10-23 Location : Here
| Subject: Re: Out of the Darkness;; Book 1: Camelia Sun Apr 05, 2009 2:12 pm | |
| Wonderful!
Oh my word! I loved it! It's so descriptive! | |
| | | Lan Fan Trustworthy Member
Posts : 2810 Join date : 2008-10-30 Age : 26 Location : USA
| Subject: Re: Out of the Darkness;; Book 1: Camelia Sun Apr 05, 2009 5:26 pm | |
| Chapter 3: The Hunt- Spoiler:
After the pain stopped tearing at my heart like a thousand claws, I prodded the floor for a few seconds and then leaped out of the house as a wolf again. I landed softly, like a cat, on my dark paws. Now, I started trotting towards the outside of the forest, looking for something to hunt.
Almost immediately, as the sun started rising, I caught the scent of deer. This early in the morning? I was too hungry to dwell on the timing now. I just focused on getting that deer.
It was a young adult, probably male. He looked too inexperienced to fight back properly, so I decided on him for my meal. Carefully, I ducked under the bracken, undulating like a snake in the small gaps between spiky holly bushes. My claws were already itching to grasp onto it, and if I were any hungrier, my eyes would have a crazy glow to them. However, I wasn't hasty; I took my time to get close enough before I would pounce. But just before I lunged, something else came leaping out of the bushes and bowling the deer over, leaving me frozen in shock. I couldn't see what it was until it killed the deer with a bite to the neck; another wolf?
I tried to stay hidden, but his keen eyes saw me anyway. He took a few steps back. It confused me; wolves didn't usually do this. Cautiously, with one of my ears down, signaling unsure emotions, I made my way towards it. The male wolf didn't move. Figuring it was all right, I laid a paw on the deer's shoulder.
"It's all right, go ahead." His voice was calm but also with a natural, stern trace to it.
I stood there for a moment, but then lowered my head to the deer and took a bite out of it.
As the dark russet wolf padded out of the bushes, I noticed two things. One, he was probably thinner than me. This was one of the things that caused me to stop eating. But the second thing I noticed was that he seemed perfectly blind. But somehow, his eyes managed to lock onto mine.
"My family has been having a rough time lately," he said, "but you are alone; you don't have as much of a chance to catch anything." His voice was hardly even condescending at all now. "I'm closer to death anyway."
I had to speak up. "Which is why you should eat it. It's your catch, anyway."
He paused for a moment, then sauntered up to the prey, brushing me on the side with his tail as a signal to move away. Obeying, I took a few cautious steps backwards.
I tried not to increase my hunger by watching him eat. But even after a while, he didn't finish, and even backed away, so I took my chance by eating what was left.
"Why aren't you with the rest of your pack?" I couldn't help asking.
He lowered his light gray gaze slightly. "Mainly what caused me to leave was that my father died; he was the alpha male of our pack. And since there wasn't really anyone else to take over, we kind of scattered."
I guessed this was my chance. "Could you travel with me? Two is better than one."
To my surprise, he nodded slowly. And with that, we took off into the forest. Chapter 4: The Sun Pack- Spoiler:
I had never been this far in the forest before. It was almost sunset, and we had reached the edge. In the distance, there was a snowy mountain that stretched up to the sky just like a howling wolf.
"They say it's called Blacktip Mountain," my companion noted.
"I know the mountain's name, but you never told me yours," I replied.
"Sol." He said it quickly, as if he was nervous.
"Camelia." I looked up to the summit of the mountain, where the wolf's nose would be, with a pensive gaze. "My mother named me that because... I was born in a big patch of camelias." I was rather nervous; I couldn't tell him I was actually a human.
"My pack, they say, originated from the sun," Sol said. "All of our names had something to do with the sun. All of our pack was mainly all descended from the same family. I had a father, a mother who died shortly after I was born, an uncle and two cousins. I can't remember my mother's name, but other than that, their names were, respectively, Lightstrike, Flashfire, Sunflower, and Flamestar. But they all scattered when Lightstrike died." If there were a smile on his face, it would have faded.
"How did Lightstrike die?"
Sol stayed silent, and after a while of waiting for the answer, I got bored and stared at the mountain again, shivering with excitement.
Or... maybe it wasn't excitement. I realized we were walking in cold puddles. Then it hit me; it had started raining. I thought about looking up but didn't want to get rain in my eye, so I kept my head down.
It made me remember when I had seen a few wolves when I was merely four. But how could I be sure it was his pack? I wasn't. It couldn't have been. I shook my head to myself; as far as I had remembered, none of them were blind.
But then something else hit me. I remembered when he said, "It's called Blacktip Mountain." I hadn't mentioned it aloud.
"How did you know the mountain was there?"
He seemed to get snappy, but controlled himself, although his tone was angry, and somehow, he looked into my eyes again. "I know where we are. I've been living here for a while." As a raindrop hit his right ear, it drooped slightly.
I blinked for a moment. This was one strange wolf.
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| | | Lan Fan Trustworthy Member
Posts : 2810 Join date : 2008-10-30 Age : 26 Location : USA
| Subject: Re: Out of the Darkness;; Book 1: Camelia Mon Apr 06, 2009 10:35 am | |
| Chapter 5: Enemies- Spoiler:
I was startled by a loud, echoing noise that sounded like a tree falling down. I jumped slightly, then turned to Sol. "Come on, we have to hurry." And with that, not leaving him time to reply, I took off. As I looked back a few quick heartbeats later, he was following me swiftly as if he had never been left behind. Wow... that's fast...
"It's illegal for humans to hunt wolves in this forest!" I barked so that he could hear me, even against the tailwind.
"And how would you know that?"
I paused, embarrassed, for a moment. "They once captured me... okay...?"
He turned his head away without saying another word, and began to gaze ahead at the trail again. I didn't know what this was... but it was a feeling of sudden sadness?
Shaking my head to rid myself of the confusion, I focused on running ahead. The blast came again, closer this time. My heart racing almost as fast as my paws, which were moving as fast as they could carry me, I tried weaving to the right a little, taking a path that wasn't perpendicular to the mountain.
Sol stayed on his straight path for a moment, glancing at me, then began to run towards me. However, he somehow slipped, probably because of the wet ground, and I had to stop for a moment.
When he finally got up and shook himself off, I looked down slightly as he growled, "How about I lead from now on. Your movements are rather clumsy, going through the mud and all that."
I could see the rain letting up, but didn't object to what he said. Something just told me to keep silent, or this wolf would get very angry. I didn't know how I knew it, but I didn't want him angry at me.
My heart was still racing, and I was partly limp out of fear. "Well, we have to get going now..."
Again, he was silent. He just kept on running, with me on his heels. We had to run away fast or these humans would catch us.
But, if I became human, I could convince them to stop... maybe.
"You keep on running, Sol. I'll catch up. I want to see if I can stop them. I'll just curve around the side to avoid them."
"You won't do anything without me," Sol retorted, smiling slightly, his blank eyes narrowed the tiniest bit.
I tried to dive into a hiding place, maybe some bracken, so I could turn around and go towards the hunters, but he was adamant with his decision and wouldn't leave me. Something told me though, he wasn't so worried about me as much as he felt like he was my leader. Was that it? The thought distracted me for a moment, and I almost gave away our position by tripping into some thorn bushes.
"Careful," Sol whispered, and then glanced to our right, where the hunters were.
I didn't hear any more firing. "Have they left yet? Did they think we're gone?"
"Perhaps. Humans have never been very smart."
I tried as hard as I could to hide the offense I had taken.
But I heard one final bang!. Sol paused for a moment, and I could just glance at a wound on his back, between his hips. He seemed to weaken, and suddenly fell forward, face-first into the soil.
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| | | Becca! One Special Member!
Posts : 5620 Join date : 2008-10-23 Location : Here
| Subject: Re: Out of the Darkness;; Book 1: Camelia Mon Apr 06, 2009 10:39 am | |
| Wow!
They are really good! | |
| | | Lan Fan Trustworthy Member
Posts : 2810 Join date : 2008-10-30 Age : 26 Location : USA
| Subject: Re: Out of the Darkness;; Book 1: Camelia Mon Apr 06, 2009 1:56 pm | |
| Chapter 6: Fighting Claw and Fang- Spoiler:
For some reason, the hunters didn't come for him. Poachers, more like.
When I realized Sol wasn't moving, the despair just burst out of me. I didn't have the sense to check if he was breathing; my mind was too jumbled to make sense of anything. I gave a desperate, wavering howl, the one that you often hear in the mountains.
Was this what love was? It was... a claw squeezing the energy out of you, but at the same time it was... everything. Sadness but also happiness, anger but also sorrow. Not wanting someone to leave you....
I didn't hear any other wolves answer, but Sol was still out, if not dead. Slowing my howl until it was silent, I lay down next to him and kept my nose on his side. If anything, I just wanted him to live. Live!
I let my eyes slip closed, but I couldn't sleep. The moon, again, was just beginning to rise. It had been twenty-four hours since I had escaped...
Could I do something to help Sol? Carefully, I looked for the wound; it was right on his flank. Slowly, as not to hurt him, I began to lick it. I wanted it to stop bleeding.
I didn't notice Sol's eyes gradually open. But I did hear him mumble, "Why are you doing that? I have no reason to live. My clan, my pack is gone. Scattered."
"We can find them, if we work together," I encouraged, but his blank expression was still stolid and far off.
Reluctantly, he tried to stand up, with much pain from his right leg. He gave an angry, painful growl, and shook himself off a bit.
"How do we get the bullet out?" I asked as I saw a silver bit in the wound. Carefully, I tried again to take it out with my fangs, but he just gave another scream.
"You don't know what you're doing!"
"How else will I do it?" I retorted.
I tried to be gentle, with my nose, but it was no use.
"Why are you even trying to save me, anyway?" His low growl caused me to shake.
"Because, Sol, I would fight claw and fang for you."
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| | | Becca! One Special Member!
Posts : 5620 Join date : 2008-10-23 Location : Here
| Subject: Re: Out of the Darkness;; Book 1: Camelia Mon Apr 06, 2009 2:16 pm | |
| Ohhh....
Wow.... Interesting!
Hehe, If she just turned back into a human, she could take it out, but he'd probably killed her. Wow. | |
| | | Lan Fan Trustworthy Member
Posts : 2810 Join date : 2008-10-30 Age : 26 Location : USA
| Subject: Re: Out of the Darkness;; Book 1: Camelia Tue Apr 14, 2009 1:16 am | |
| Chapter 7: The Eagle- Spoiler:
We would get there any minute now.
And at once, I felt the rocks beneath my paws. I almost slipped, but Sol had kept me from doing so by running behind me.
I heard the shrill call of an eagle, and my heart was immediately lifted. I glanced at Sol, and immediately it felt like my heart was a strong animal, pushing out of my chest. I felt like I had to push it against the ground. Was it a weakness? Just in case, I wouldn't show it.
Staring at the eagle ahead of us, I couldn't help but follow it. Sol didn't seem to mind; in fact, he actually seemed to know where we were going. Even though he couldn't see...
"Have you been here before?" I asked incredulously, without looking back. I wouldn't want to fall over the ridge into the pool below when it was being attacked by a mighty, roaring waterfall!
"Yes." His answer was terse and serious. I blinked slightly, feeling the need to just drop my front paws. This uplifting sensation was overwhelming!
The eagle appeareded to be leading us to a second, hidden ridge. Instinctively, I kep it in sight, but Sol didn't seem to mind.
When it was lost around the corner, I was not expecting the drop below. I began falling as fast as it could swoop, and gave a startled yip. But something had... grabbed onto my scruff and was carrying me.
"HELP! Flying wolves!" I cried, having completely lost my senses for that quick heartbeat. But it didn't feel like a wolf that much. It was... talons?
"Huh?" I gazed up slightly, and my eyes immediately widened. "Where did you come from?" I knew that the white bird dappled with dark brown was a New Guinea Harpy Eagle. Those were huge.
The raptor glanced down at me. It had those same eyes. Those eyes that seemed empty and gray but were really filled with some hidden emotion I could not perceive.
"No. You can't be..." I breathed in disbelief, feeling like I had left my lungs behind.
"Really?" He said in a kind of taunting voice, and landed on the thin ridge again, dropping me out of his talons.
As he dropped to the line of rocks, the wings melted into his back, and his head became larger and more pointy. His beak grew into a muzzle, and pointy ears sprouted out of his head. The creature's talons became the strong front legs of a wolf as his body elongated and he gained a long, sweeping tail and a second pair of legs.
I could only gawk, wide-eyed and winded with awe.
He stayed silent, but slightly submissive.
"You... can do that?"
Slowly, as if unsure, Sol nodded.
Immediately, I jumped at him as if I were a frog wanting to give him a bear hug. "That's amazing!" Almost as I was going to hit his ear, I swept to the right so that almost my entire left side brushed against his right shoulder, and skipped merrily along the ridge, a giddy feeling rising in my throat. Now, I had to give in to this feeling exploding from my chest, and dropped my front legs so that my chin hit the ground, and I was lying helplessly on the floor with my chest pressed to the stone.
...In the middle of a cave?
Sorry, I have to go now. It's 10:10 PM where I am. Bedtime. Sorry for being gone so long though; hope this makes up for it. | |
| | | Lan Fan Trustworthy Member
Posts : 2810 Join date : 2008-10-30 Age : 26 Location : USA
| Subject: Re: Out of the Darkness;; Book 1: Camelia Thu May 14, 2009 7:25 pm | |
| Chapter 8: The Crypt- Spoiler:
I looked up, confounded, at the tiny, candle-like fire burning at the back of the cave. And for some reason, an eagle was guarding it. The white and brown raptor swooped down and became a wolf as Sol had.
"Sol. You brought her?"
He dipped his head and reply, blinking blankly.
I stared at him in shock. "You...?" The breath had been torn out of me like never before. I couldn't finish the sentence. My heart pounded against my ribs in protest. I... didn't know what to feel.
The odd wolf that was just an eagle turned to me. "I am Firestone."
He ominously padded towards me, his silver pelt shining as if white water was reflecting off of it. "You aren't just a wolf." It wasn't a question.
Firestone locked my gaze, and I suddenly, uncontrollably, became human. Utterly startled, I glanced from him to Sol and stuttered, "You knew?"
Sol remained quiet, but Firestone caught my attention. "You know, you aren't just a human-wolf Hybrid. You're the only one of your kind left."
I think I died of fright. Thanks a lot.
"After you, there will be none quite like you. But we..."
Firestone's ears shrank as he grew big and bulky, into a bear. He somehow commanded Sol to turn into an African wild dog. Of all things, why that with his large ears and leopard-like fur, I could hardly tell it was Sol anymore. I only knew him because of his mysterious eyes.
"We shift into any animal," Firestone finished. "I am the only one who can command someone to change." Another of his glares, and my fingers merged, my nose elongated, and my ears were raised; I was a wolf again.
"I could even command you to e something other than a wolf, but it would put a huge amount of strain on your body."
"In other words," Sol added, "...You would likely die."
It was too much to bear. I lay down and covered my head with my paws just as the two perplexing creatures became wolves again.
"What I need you to do is find a tunnel along Shadow Ridge," Firestone explained, stepping closer. "It's a thin ridge of dark-colored rock around the summit of this mountain. They say the cave at the end leads somewhere, although no one's come back from the journey."
"Let me guess," I said nonchalantly, "It's another monster that lurks in the cave and has a ridiculous weakness, like tomato soup."
One of Sol's eyebrows raised -- or at least, it would if he had eyebrows.
"Not exactly," Firestone replied matter-of-factly. "I don't know, but it's definitely not that. Whatever it is, something tells me that wolves would do a good job against it. So, I'm sending you two."
Thus began our expedition of Shadow Ridge.
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