《Before The Pack: Among the Shadow and Light》


 Prologue: A Cold Winter Night

    In the snow, she trudged. Her long, black cloak big enough to keep her and her little brother warm. She held him close as she tried to find shelter.


    "Where''s momma? Where''s Papa?" Five year old Gabriel asked her. Tears flooded Rose''s face as she looked down at him.


    "They...they went to a very special place."


    "Why didn''t they take US?" Gabriel asked her again in wonder. Rose sobbed as she held her little brother.


    They nestled under a large tree. She wrapped Gabriel in a blanket and had him sit in a log, as she dug out snow to build a fire.


    Once they were warm from the fire, Rose prepared tea for her and her brother. She gave him a cup. He gasped in excitement when he saw it. He brought the tea to his lips, but Rose stopped him.


    "Let it cook down, okay. I don''t want that to burn you." Rose said.


    "Aww." Gabriel stared down at his cup. He placed it next to him.


    "It''s for a second, don''t worry. You''ll have it in no time." She reassured.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    The young boy tilted his head at her. "Rose, what is it?" Gabriel asked her as he pointed at his tea.


    Rose smiled. "It''s always been my favorite growing up, it has apples and cinnamon and it."


    "What''s it called?"


    Rose shrugged. "I''ve always called it Cinnamon apple."


    "C - cim - o - ninn - apple?" Gabriel struggled to pronounce.


    Rose giggled at his effort. "It''s a hard word to say, but you''ll get the hang of it though." She looked at his cup that sat next to him. "Try it now." Gabriel did as her was told and tried the tea. He giggled with happiness.


    "I never tried c - cimma - nin - "


    "Would it be easier to say apple cinnamon?" Rose suggested.


    Before Gabriel could try again, something caught his eye in the distance. Suddenly, he shrieked and jumped up and ran towards Rose. The red head looked behind her, and noticed a big black wolf staring at them. Rose smiled as she got up to pet the wolf. Gabriel then tugged at her robes, trying to force her to stay with him. "What are you doing? They''re BAD! Momma said so!"


    But Rose chuckled. "Don''t worry, they won''t hurt you!" She reassured. "Besides, you''ve been playing with them!"


    "M - momma told me not to play with them anymore! Please, come back!"


    The black wolf then left their are and trotted off into the woods.


    Rose knelt down to meet his level. "They''re just animals. You don''t need to be afraid of them."


    Shaking, Gabriel then began to cry as he hugged his sister.


    "I don''t like them, Rosie."


    Rose hugged him back. "I know, it''s okay. I won''t let them hurt us."


    "We just saw him, is he going to take you away? And leave me all alone?"


    Rose shook her head. "No, Gabriel...I won''t let that happen. I will stay right here."


    "Promise?"


    Rose nodded as she kissed his head.


    "I promise."

 Chapter 1: Three Weeks Ago...

    Ten year old Rose looked out the window of the small cottage her family lived in. She waited, very patiently, for her friends to arrive and take her away from her responsibilities. She smiled as she daydreamed what they will do together.


    Suddenly, her concentration broke when she heard her father come rushing in the kitchen to kiss his wife.


    "Getting ready for the meet?" Rose''s mother asked him.


    "Yeah, we''re ready to make arrangements to banish the Necromancers!" Rose''s father declared.


    Her father is a member of the High Council, a group of witches designed to make laws and rules to keep everyone in the witch community in harmony with the humans; but the Necromancers will disrupt the balance, causing high risk of damage to the human population. That, though, will be no more, the High Council will officially banish them.


    Every witch in the community, especially other black witches, are scared of them. Nothing but bad omens.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    The witches have a classification of black and white magic users:


    - The Necromancers, at the top of the list of black magic, are death practitioners..due to their rituals, are known to be very evil. To keep the young witch children protected until they know their own powers, are told to call them "Red Cloaks".


    - Blood witches, of course, use blood magic, whether that''s included using sacrifice of humans or animals for their rituals in the community. These witches wear copper cloaks to represent the blood they usually use for practice...humans.


    - the common Black Witch, engaging in dark magic practices, used to harm others. They wear black cloaks.


    While on the other hand....


    - White witches, of course use their magic for good, they call upon the higher heavens for assistance, as well as themselves. They''re natural healers, and they are angelic souls. Of course, their cloaks are white.


    - Green Witches, use herbs for potion making...mostly used to tend the I''ll and wounded. Of course, they wear green cloaks...oftentimes blue.


    - The Animal witches are spiritual guardians of the animal kingdom. They wear brown leather cloaks.


    - Elemental witches, considered mostly good, are neutral in their system....controlling the elements to protect and harmonize, though there are times when they go too far and become power hungry and godlike.

 Chapter 1: Three Weeks Ago...(Part 2)

    Rose was back to the present reality, when she heard the sound of her parents kiss again, before departure.


    Her father looked over her shoulder and ruffled her hair. "See you later, Rosebud!"


    "Papa, I''m not a little kid anymore! I''m a preteen!" Rose retorted, blushing with embarrassment.


    "You are in My eyes!" As he walked out, his five year old son ran into him. The little blond boy looked up at him.


    The father chuckled.


    "Be careful, buddy! Watch where you''re going!" He bent down and ruffled his hair as well. Rose''s little brother giggled. She rolled her eyes.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    "Yes, Papa."


    The father caught something in his son''s hand. He tilted his head. "Whatcha got there?"


    The little boy showed him a toad that sat comfortably in his hands. The father then realized that his son was called in mud, from head to foot. He shrugged it off and chuckled as he walked out of their home.


    After their father left, Rose''s mother then turned to her.


    "How about you study your magic while you''re waiting for them?" She suggested.


    Rose groaned irritably. "Ma, I''ve studied enough!"


    "Just do something while you wait."


    Rose is a white witch, and her mother is a green witch. Her father is the same as Rose, but her little brother didn''t have an ability yet...he wouldn''t know until he turns her age. Though with who his friends are, she can already tell he''ll be an animal witch.


    And of course he didn''t have friends, he''s too much of a little shit to have at least ONE friend!