The Power Within

"Run!" Darrel yelled. He shifted into his tiger form, and ran towards the enemy. Over 20 enemy shifters surrounded him in front of the cottage.  That bastard, Malcom, found them again. Darrel and his family had been on the run for almost two years now. He and his mate knew this day would come, it was only a matter of time. Darrel knew they couldn't run forever.      He had to fight. He had to take down as many of the enemy as he could. His mate needed time to get to the car they had hidden in the woods miles away from the house. His mate would get their daughter to the humans who would guard and guide her. Darrel's pack had helped him find these humans, and the pack's witch allies wrote a spell that would keep his daughter safe until she shifted for the first time.      A sharp pain in one of his back legs caused him to stumble, and before he could get back up, dozens of enemy shifters jumped him. Darrel's last thoughts were of his mate and their beautiful daughter.     Maria gasped as she felt her mate's pain. She stumbled and fell on her knees when she felt his death. "No!"  Maria cried in her head. "Not my Darrel, not my love!"  She was miles away from the house now. There was no way to save him. Maria clutched her daughter closer to her chest.  "Mama," her little girl cried softy.  "Shh," Maria cooed. "It's okay. Mama is okay."     Maria got up off her knees, and continued running towards the car. Her mate's sacrifice would not be in vain. After another mile or two, Maria spotted the car up ahead. They had stashed the old car in the woods behind the cottage. The meet-up location with humans was a few hours away by car.      They made it to the old car. Maria heard the growls and howls, miles away, back at the cottage. The enemy hadn't found them in the house, and growled and howled their frustrations. Maria got the back door open, and placed Kiley in her car-seat. A few precious bags, filled with some clothes for Kiley, money, a couple of letters to the humans, and letters and books for Kiley, had already been packed in the car. After buckling Kiley, Maria hopped into the front seat, and drove further into the woods.       The road was up ahead. Maria bumped onto the highway, and stomped her foot on the gas pedal. The old car groaned as it picked up speed. She needed to go south to get the meeting point. Malcom had sent over 20 enemy shifters to their cottage. Maria wondered how many Darrel killed before he was killed himself. About 30 minutes passed, Maria still speeding down the highway, when she sensed the shifters getting closer.  "Damn it!" Maria yelled, and smacked the steering wheel. They must have picked up Maria and Kiley's scent. Now they would be able to track her and Kiley all the way to the meeting point. Maria wiped the tears out her eyes. She knew what she had to do.  Maria grabbed the cell phone, and dialed the phone number she had memorized months ago. Darrel and Maria made a decision, after Kiley was born, to not write any information down concerning their daughter. Written information could end up in the enemy's hands. The only written documents about Kiley was her birth certificate, and the letters in the bags.  "Hello?" Ben answered on the third ring. "This is Maria. I am being chased by Malcom's hoard. They found us at the cottage. Darrel fought over 20 of the enemy shifters, I am not sure how many are chasing us now. I have Kiley. I am going to find a spot to hide the car. I will hide Kiley a half-mile north of the car. I will activate the witches tracker once I have hidden her. Make sure to get the bags from the car, there is money, clothes, and information in them. Please come and get her. Keep her safe." Maria hung up, and broke the phone in her hand, after giving the message to Ben.  Maria let off the gas, and turned off the road. The car bumped, and rattled as Maria drove on the rough ground. She finally found a small clearing. Maria grabbed Kiley, and after unbuckling her from her seat, Maria grabbed the small necklace that the witches had enchanted with the spell. The spell would hide her daughter's scent until she shifted for the first time. The tracker was already in her pocket. Maria ran with her daughter in her arms. She ran north. When Maria knew they had gone far enough, she stopped.  "Kiley," Maria spoke to her daughter as she looked around for a good hiding place. Maria spotted a small rocky area up ahead. "Kiley, I need you to listen to me very carefully." Maria walked towards the rocky area, and found a small nook between two big boulders. She sat Kiley down, and looked into her daughter's beautiful, silver eyes.  Kiley nodded. Maria pushed the hair out of her daughter's face.  " I have to leave you here. I have to lead the bad people away. I am going to put this necklace on you. You can never take this off." Maria placed the small, charmed necklace over her daughter's head. "Remember, Kiley, never take the necklace off. Mama has to leave you here..." "But, Mama..." Kiley cried. Maria shushed her daughter, and grabbed her daughter's hands. "You have to be brave now, Kiley. Be brave, and stay very, very quiet no matter what. Ben will be here in just a little while. You stay right here and do not move until he gets here. Okay?"  Kiley nodded her head again. Her Mama had told her about Ben before. She didn't want to go with Ben, but knew she had to listen to her Mama.  "Mama has to go now. Remember stay here, stay very quiet, and be brave." Maria kissed her daughter on the forehead, one last time. She knew the charmed necklace was working because she could no longer smell her daughter's unique scent.  Kiley cried silent tears as her Mama stood up.  Maria backed out of the small nook after placing the small witches tracker on the ground in front of the boulders. Only Ben would be able to find Kiley now. Maria looked at her daughter one last time, and then ran back to the car in order to lead the enemy shifters away from Kiley. Maria was able to lead the enemy shifters many miles away from Kiley before she stumbled, and fell for the last time.