Murder
1005 Words
The forest beyond Crescent Claw Pack’s territory was darker than Kiara had ever seen. Moonlight filtered weakly through the dense canopy, creating long, twisting shadows on the ground. Every step she took crunched softly against fallen leaves, but in the stillness, the sound seemed deafening. Her heart pounded painfully, a rhythm of fear she could not escape.
Rejected… publicly… by Leon, she whispered to herself, voice trembling. Her paws shook slightly, and the memory of the ceremony made her chest ache. Her wolf stirred inside her chest, a familiar ache and a yearning that could not be silenced.
We have to get out of here… her wolf’s voice whispered sharply in her mind. Something is wrong. I can smell danger.
Kiara bit her lip, trying to calm herself. “I know… I know, but I need to think. I can’t panic. I can’t…” She shivered as a cold breeze cut through her, rattling the trees. I can’t die like this. Not now. Not like this.
Her wolf growled low, anxious. We’re not alone. Can you feel it? Someone is watching.
Kiara froze, straining her ears. Faint voices drifted through the night, low and urgent, barely audible. Her stomach twisted.
“Are you sure she doesn’t suspect?” a familiar voice whispered.
Kiara’s blood ran cold. That voice… she knew it. Seraphina.
“It doesn’t matter,” another voice replied, rough and cold. “Tonight she will be gone. No one will know what happened.”
Kiara’s breath hitched. Her wolf growled, sharp and fearful. They plan to kill us… They plan to kill us tonight!
Kiara pressed herself flat against the trunk of a tree. “I—I have to get out… quietly,” she whispered to herself. Move slowly… don’t make a sound.
Every nerve in her body screamed as she took a careful step backward. Her mind raced. I can’t fight them head-on. I’m too weak…
Weak? her wolf snapped. You’re not weak! We survived rejection, we survived humiliation. We will survive this! Use the speed, use the shadows!
Kiara’s chest tightened with hope. “You’re right… we can do this. Stay close, stay calm.” Her wolf purred softly, a comforting rumble, as if reassuring her that they were together in this fight.
A branch snapped under her paw. She froze, heart hammering. The voices sharpened immediately.
“Who’s there?” Seraphina hissed.
Kiara ducked behind a thick tree, her breath coming in short, ragged gasps. She could feel the cold steel of the dagger in the stranger’s hand behind her cousin. Panic surged.
Run! her wolf urged. Now!
Kiara bolted, pushing through the undergrowth, branches slapping her face, tearing her ceremonial robe. She stumbled, barely catching herself on a tree trunk. The stranger moved faster, cutting off her path. Panic surged again.
“I… I can’t die!” Kiara whispered fiercely. “Not like this! Not now!”
Her wolf howled in her mind, a surge of strength. Use the shadows! The branches! We are faster than them—run!
Kiara twisted to the side, barely evading the dagger aimed at her ribs. Pain flared as her sleeve was sliced, but adrenaline carried her forward. She darted left, then right, her paws skidding on the mossy ground. Every step was a desperate gamble.
“Stop! Don’t make this harder than it has to be!” Seraphina’s voice rang sharp, almost playful, like she enjoyed the hunt.
Kiara’s wolf growled. We will survive. We have to. Trust me.
Kiara stumbled over a tree root, crashing to the ground, mud and leaves covering her robes. She gasped, struggling to stand, but a figure loomed over her. She braced herself, preparing for the dagger to pierce her side.
“Not… yet…” she whispered, a strange calm settling over her. If this is the end, I won’t go quietly.
A sharp movement caught her eye—a shadow falling across the moonlight. She rolled to the side instinctively, narrowly avoiding the blade. Her heart pounded as she scrambled to her feet, brushing dirt and leaves from her robe.
Faster… we can outrun them, her wolf urged. Kiara ran, pushing her body harder than ever before. The forest blurred around her. Every branch, every stone, every whisper of wind became both a threat and a guide.
Seraphina cursed behind her. “Stop running, Kiara! You can’t escape your fate!”
Kiara’s wolf snarled, a low, primal sound that vibrated in her chest. This is not your fate! Not yet! Fight!
Kiara’s legs burned. Her lungs screamed. She could hear her pursuers getting closer. Then, just as she thought she would collapse, a small opening appeared—a narrow path between thick trees, hidden under shadows. She darted into it, muffling her breathing, pressing herself low to the ground.
The steel glinted behind her—Seraphina’s dagger. Close. Too close. But she forced herself forward, ignoring the pain, ignoring the fear.
After what felt like an eternity, Kiara stumbled into a shallow creek. Water splashed around her paws. She paused, heart hammering, listening. The voices had disappeared—at least for now. The forest was eerily silent, the only sound the water flowing over rocks.
Kiara sank to her knees, shivering. Her wolf sighed inside her mind, calming her trembling body. We made it… for now.
“I… we… survived,” Kiara whispered, tears mixing with dirt and sweat on her cheeks. “I won’t let them win… I can’t… I won’t.”
Her wolf nudged her gently. This is only the beginning. We will get stronger. We will rise. And they will regret ever trying to take our life.
Kiara stood slowly, gripping the hem of her wet robe. Determination surged through her veins. If they think this can break me… they are wrong. They have no idea what is coming.
The moonlight reflected off the creek, shimmering on her tear-streaked face. Kiara Rowan had survived the ambush. And though the night was dark, the fire in her heart burned brighter than ever.
- Writer
