《Forest Moon: Running Woods》 Prologue His eyes watch her as she focuses intently on the full pale moon above her through the branches of pine and oak trees. There¡¯s a camera in her hand and an awe-inspired smile on her face. Not once since they met as kids did he think he¡¯d ever interact with her this way. Hell, he was certain he wouldn¡¯t ever talk to her. Not with the way her parents behaved. There isn¡¯t a single person who can say anything nice about her parents, not even her. Whether they wanted what¡¯s best for her he¡¯s not entirely sure, but he knows that she¡¯s so much more than they ever thought she would be. The camera clicks a few times and she shifts every now and again. That is until a terrified gasp leaves her lips. Her eyes widen, arms lower slowly. Move¡­run¡­do something¡­ Fear permeates her to the very core. A small part of her wants to take a picture, but the sheer horror of it all makes her want to flee for her life. It takes him a moment to see what it is she¡¯s looking at, but even he¡¯s terrified when he spots it. Too massive to be anything, but the very creature he¡¯s been warned about. The same malevolent force he¡¯s descendant of. How it had found this little safe haven, even he doesn¡¯t know. What he does know is that it¡¯s taken an interest in her and is now watching her with malicious intent in its eyes, but also a strange curiosity. Neither takes note how its eyes skim over the area stopping briefly nor the blood that covers its fur in a sickly decorative manner. Hesitantly shetakes a quick picture and slowly begins to back away from it. She can feel those great yellow eyes on her, feel the way it watches her. Move¡­you can¡¯t stay here. It¡¯s not safe. Run. Run. Run! A few more hesitant steps and she turns to run, full on sprinting. He catches a glimpse of what looks to be a wicked grin on the animal¡¯s face, before turning himself and following behind her. Not the best decision, but it¡¯s too late. That thing knows he was there. Both their scents carry on the wind, this much he knows. Not soon after he can feel the ground shaking beneath his feet. It takes everything the two have not to trip over anything as he grabs a hold of her hand, tugging her in a different direction from home. She¡¯s confused but follows him. No time for questions right now. ¡°Shit¡­this wasn¡¯t supposed to happen! Not here not now! Fuck!¡± How quickly the evening went from being calm and peaceful to the worlds worst nightmare. A chilling howl tears the night air in half. Too close¡­it¡¯s way too close! How do you outrun something that size?! Stumbling near blindly through the dark doesn¡¯t help them at all. Also, there¡¯s quite the size difference between them and it. Another howl fills the night sky as if reminding them that they¡¯re truly being hunted down by something nothing nature never intended. As the night stills dread intensifies. Stopping, the duo turns to look around. Lungs praying for air. Nerves dancing anxiously. Bending at the waist she eyes him out the corner of her eye. ¡°What¡­¡± The rest of her sentence is lost in her throat. That¡¯s more than enough for him to figure out that pausing where they have wasn¡¯t a very good idea. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.¡°We have to split up at some point. When we do, find another way into town. Take a longer route than normal and don¡¯t go through the woods. Don¡¯t stop for anything and don¡¯t look back.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Just do it okay.¡± For a moment the female just eyes him, before deciding that the looming shadow they need to escape is more important than questioning the decision he¡¯s made, to be more important. Starting up they do their best to stay well hidden, but quick. Stay low, stay fast. Don¡¯t panic. It¡¯s all she can do to not fall apart or end up dead without anyone realizing that she¡¯s missing. As her mind runs, she realizes that this isn¡¯t something she ever anticipated. He¡¯s aware he can only do so much with her out here and slows his pace slightly. Making her safe is his priority at this point. Nothing else matters until she¡¯s out of sight away from what is about to be the ugliest fight of his life. Thankful, that she doesn¡¯t notice and passes out of his sight he turns ever so slowly. The pounding in his chest slows before picking up and rushing faster than humanly possible. Charcoal hues catch on a pair of large crimson gold ones. ¡®Smart choice you made, or stupid. Depending on how you look at it. Is some mere mortal''s life worth more than your own? Or is dying that appealing to you?¡¯ ¡°If making sure the world doesn¡¯t have to deal with you anymore I¡¯ll take that death risk. For years you¡¯ve plagued the minds of tribes all over. You didn¡¯t think we¡¯d let our guards down for one minute, did you? These are our woods, our forests. If you think for a second that my brothers and I will let you tear through them freely you¡¯re wrong.¡± ¡®Of course, you¡¯d say that. Do you not realize how much stronger than all of you I am? You and I share the same blood. Will you really stand in my way?¡¯ Ignoring the silent threat that¡¯s been made he allows the transformation from human to wolf take control. He¡¯s barely completed the shift when he¡¯s nearly knocked aside as if he¡¯s nothing. Time¡­ quickly moving aside he calculates his next move. Buying time for others to help is what he needs to do now. Although, he¡¯s not sure anyone will come out here without being coaxed into doing so. For now, all he has to do is focus¡­ A bone-chilling scream practically wrenches the night in half. She hadn¡¯t meant to run this far. Luckily she hasn¡¯t fallen far, but that doesn¡¯t mean that thing won¡¯t find her with the way she¡¯s released her lungs. Still, her heart hopes it doesn¡¯t. Rather dangling here, feels safer than coming face to face with that monstrosity. Anything is better than dealing with that. You¡¯re the only one out here. Alex went his own way for his own safety. Waves crash against the rock wall made by the cliff she¡¯s hanging from. The drop is steep and filled with craggy rocks. That alone will kill her on the spot. Tiny fingers can barely hold her up much longer. Turning her head up instead of looking at the angry water below her she sees someone she least expects and there¡¯s a wicked grin across this persons face as well. 1 ¡°Lunette, you can¡¯t be serious? You live on a reservation?¡± ¡°Yeah, why is that so strange? Lots of people live on reservations.¡± ¡°Yeah, lots of Native people. You know that right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not seeing what¡¯s wrong with where my family and I live?¡± ¡°Just how long have you lived there?¡± ¡°My whole life, until I came here for college. Why?¡± ¡°Odd¡­but I guess anyone can live anywhere.¡± She shakes her head at her friend¡¯s ridiculousness, shoving him ahead of her to the minivan his parent¡¯s are letting them borrow for their trip to her home. He chuckles and moves along swiftly. Behind them another female follow arms crossed, sun dancing in blond tresses, and a scowl for the ages sings on her face. Each step she takes is heavier than the last, practically injuring the bottom of her own feet through thin soled flats. ¡°Allyseide, can you please stop throwing a tantrum. It¡¯s gonna be a long couple months okay.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see why he has to go. He can stay here. No one likes him anyway.¡± ¡°I like him. He¡¯s my friend and his name is Gale. I honestly need you two to get along. A good part of why we¡¯re going together is also for the graduation project. I have to do nature photos. Gale¡¯s supposed to do some conservation thing for the environment. And¡­¡± ¡°Mine is on how different people interact with their environment or some stupid shit like that.¡± ¡°And now we know who pays attention in school.¡± ¡°Shut up queer.¡± ¡°Ally! That¡¯s uncalled for. Gale¡¯s sexual orientation isn¡¯t any of our business. And you should be happy he likes guys. Considering how much you hate him.¡± ¡°Leave her, Lune, she does this all the time. Anyway,lets get this stuff packed away so we can get on the road. Your cat looks like she wants to leave this place more than anyone.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± The trio pack up their belongings carefully, climbing in the car at once. Allyseide shoving herself to the front passenger seat. Leaving Gale to climb into the back with two dogs and a restless cat. The biggest dog belongs to Lunette, a husky by the name of Skai whose stark grey fur attaches to any and everything. Starlette, is also Lunette¡¯s cat. A very nosy and social cat. And then there¡¯s Rex, Gale¡¯s onyx pit bull. Rex was a rescue from some of the kids on campus who thought it funny to tase the poor dog. Leaving Allyseide the only one without a pet. Something she¡¯d once told them about not needing a pet, because she wasn¡¯t depressed, lonely, or trying to get anyone¡¯s attention. Once everyone is secure Lunette, pulls out of the parking space and off the school lot. The drive is going to be long, but she¡¯s never been more excited for anything since moving away. ¡°Do they know you¡¯re coming?¡± ¡°No, I want to surprise them.¡± ¡°That¡¯s stupid. What if they moved?¡± ¡°I can guarantee they haven¡¯t.¡± ¡°Right, okay stupid.¡± ¡°Allyseide, please, can you have some politeness for once.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, did you stuff me in this dinky ass minivan with the schools largest gay kid? Yes. I¡¯ll do what I want.¡± The whole car goes silent. Anger radiating out of the driver. She¡¯s rarely upset by anything. However, the constant banter between her two friends is enough to unsettle her. The one thing she hates more than anything is the way Allyseide treats Gale. Theres nothing more bothersome than knowing that the young woman can¡¯t find it in herself to have some common decency for another human being. Making it worse is Gale¡¯s ability to simply ignore her or not retaliate. There¡¯s so much patience in him that it nearly drives the young woman insane when things like this happen. For now all she can do is pray that they can maintain civility for this trip. Especially since she¡¯ll be driving the whole way herself. Not wanting anyone else to do it. Going back has her nerves climbing mountains and free diving off the highest cliffs. It¡¯s enough to make one¡¯s anxiety sing with joy. Three days drive makes a normal person exhausted, unless said person has anxiety and is running on several hours worth of coffee and energy drinks and sugar. However, she¡¯s happy that they¡¯re only around the corner from her home. Open fields practically call her name as she drives out of the city. The trip was even more terrible thanks to the other two humans in the vehicle with her. If not for the animals things would have ended with her driving the car into oncoming traffic. Instead, she¡¯s managed through and gotten them where they need to be. If not for the sign no one would know it¡¯s a reservation. It almost looks like a normal town. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.¡°Holy,hell¡­ this is¡­¡± ¡°I know. It¡¯s so different from crowded cities. Fighting is really rare out here.¡± ¡°How many people live here?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know, I don¡¯t go around counting. Plus most of the kids born here grow up and move out when and if they can.¡± ¡°How do they feel about gays?¡± ¡°The same way I feel about driving us into the woods and shooting you.¡± ¡°Lune¡­deep breaths. You have an even bigger concern.¡± ¡°Is it this ugly contraption?¡± ¡°No Ally, its your dead body.¡± Gale shakes his head, bothering more to look out the window at the people going about their daily life. It¡¯s a rare sight to see history and the present come together in such a simplistic way. Very few people take note of the van rolling along the road to it¡¯s destination. That is until it pulls into the driveway of a home. Lunette doesn¡¯t glance up as several move swiftly to cross the street and stare quietly. Her eyes are on the steering wheel. Allyseide on the other hand climbs out swiftly, eyes on everything around her. Kicking the gravel beneath her feet and frowning. ¡°If this wasn¡¯t to help with the graduation project I¡¯d have gone straight home.¡± The other two don¡¯t respond, instead choosing to climb out and get their bearings. Lunette lets the two dogs into the yard along with the cat who chooses to simply perch on the porch and watch the balls of fur bound around. It makes them smile a bit that is until Lune notices something strange about the property. There¡¯s electric wiring along one side of the fence. It didn¡¯t exist when she went away, and if she hadn¡¯t been looking everything over she most likely wouldn¡¯t have noticed that it was there. Hastily, she goes and grabs both pups by their collar to keep them from running into the dangerous setup. Once she¡¯s positive they haven¡¯t been hurt by it she opens the door to her old home. The couple on the couch is startled by her presence so much so that the remote control for the T.V gets thrown at her, hitting her harshly in the face. ¡°How the hell did you get in here.¡± ¡°Dad, it¡¯s me Lunette. Your daughter.¡± Her nose is bleeding from being struck by the blunt electronic device. A groan is all she can follow her sentence with as the two adults stare at her precariously. Neither moves to assist her or see if she¡¯s okay. Something she¡¯s used to by now. It would take some kind of miracle for things be different. Instead she moves to go and get her face cleaned up. Shocked by her father¡¯s sudden jump to his feet. ¡°Get out. I told you when you left not to come back.¡± She knew their cruelty knew no bounds, but this even astounded her. They¡¯d raised her. What on earth would compel them to not allow her to come or for them to not want to see her. ¡°This is a joke right? I¡¯m your daughter. You can¡¯t just do this because I went to college.¡± ¡°I warned you what would happen if you left this place. I told you that if you decided to go you were no daughter of ours. You have no right to this place. Get out. Go on.¡± Her eyes widen as she¡¯s forcefully shoved out of the door. Nothing could¡¯ve prepared her for the events taking place right now. Before she¡¯s struck again she grabs the pets and darts back for the car. Both of her companions tuck back into the car along side her. Haste hardly covers the motion in which the car pulls from the driveway and back out to the center of town.