Struggle for Love

The moon is high in the midnight sky as I run through the thick forest. I dodge low hanging branches as I kick up the rotting leaves, the smell stinging my sensitive nostrils. My heart races when I hear the distant howls getting closer. "All most to the boarder." I tell myself, pushing my tired legs to keep going. The fear of being caught is overwhelming as the forest begins to give way to the meadow. "Just a few more feet and we're safe." I continue to chant. Just as I reach the line separating pack land from the human world. I feel the burning pain of claws ripping through my left hind leg. I stumble over the boarder and whimper in pain. A pair of black eyes glare at me as the ground quakes from his powerful growl. He shifts into a towering mountain of a man. His muscles glisten with sweat. I can feel his alpha aura pressing down on me as I am forced to shift. The breeze blows dirt into the wound on my thigh as silent tears run down my face. "Filthy, f*****g rogue... stay out of my territory or next time a scratch will be the least of your worries." He spat at me as he turned, shifted and ran off back into the woods. My name is River O'Brian. I was once the proud daughter of Alpha Shannon O'Brian of the Silver Moon pack. That was before the war that destroyed my pack and killed my parents. I survived because my mother hid me beneath the floor boards of the pack house. "Be still my little River. Know that we love you..." My mother smiled down at me with tears cascading down her beautiful face. My entire family was slaughtered that night. Now, I'm just your common rogue trying to make it in a world that doesn't want me. As I lay on my back staring at the stars while my wound began to close, I prayed to the Moon Goddess to point me toward my destiny and save me from this pathetic life. I lay there waiting for an answer that never came. Just silence. I pulled myself up and shifted. My fur was once a blinding silver, but now it was muddied and dull. "That was a close one, River. Next time when I say we shouldn't cross into someone's territory you should listen." Saids my wolf, Blue. "It was the quickest way. And hey, we made it." I could feel her eyes rolling at me. "Let's just find somewhere to sleep for the night. Maybe some clothes?" I suggest. We wondered a while before finding a small cave big enough for me to crawl into. I decided my human form would make me vulnerable so I stayed as I was, winding myself into a ball and dozing off. I woke before daybreak and began my journey. We walked for miles in search of civilization. As the sun began to rise we came upon a small town. We stuck our nose into the air and gave a long sniff. Human. A sigh of relief left my body as we crept up to a small house on the out skirts of the city. We circled it, sniffing around but there was no scent to be found. However, as we came around the back of the house a loud sound reverberated off of the trees causing me to freeze. I slowly turned my head to see a small woman with silver hair and deep mocha skin holding what appeared to be a shot gun. How did I not smell her? How can I still not smell her? "Listen Wolfy, I don't know what you want and ,quite frankly, I don't care. Alls I know is you better get on. I don't want no trouble here. You understand?" I felt my tail curve under my body and my ears lay back. "River... shes a witch..." Blue whispered. "River... shift..." I decided that Blue probably knew better than me so I felt my bones begin to rearrange as I shift back into my human form. The old woman didn't seem surprised at my sudden transformation, in fact she looked more angry. "Listen Wolfy, I said to get on!" She said. I heard a rustling coming from the house as a young woman came running out. "Granny! Put that damn gun down! You can't go waving guns arou-" the woman glanced over at me. I was naked and dirty crouched on the ground. The only thing truly visible on me were my crystal blue eyes. "Oh my... Granny, put that damn gun down!" The woman shouted at the old lady. "That's a werewolf Sadie! I'm not putting the gun down!" The old woman dead panned. "That is a scared, dirty, naked little girl! Now, put that gun down!" Sadie scolded. Her words seemed to resignate with the old woman because she lowered her weapon but she never took her eyes off of me. "My name is Sadie. This is my Granny, Elizabeth. What's your name?" The young woman asked me as she crept closer. "River." I whispered. Sadie smiled a gentle smile at me. "River. That's a pretty name. Where's your Momma and Daddy?" Sadie continued to inch closer to me. "They were killed in the war." I said quietly as my eyes never strayed from the old woman. Elizabeth's eyes never wavered but I could feel the wheels turning in her head. "How old are you River?" Sadie asked. "I'm twelve." I whispered. I heard a sharp intake of breath from Sadie. "Granny, we can't just leave her out here to fend for herself. She's a child." "Dammit Sadie! I know!" Elizabeth seemed to be deep in thought. "I'll just be on my way... I dont mean no harm... I dont want no trouble... I'll just be on my way..." I whispered as I slowly began backing away. "And go where, hmm? Back into the woods to whoever did that?" Elizabeth said while pointing at my thigh with the gun. I flinched. "Listen Wolfy, the woods ain't no place for a child. Werewolf or not... Dammit Sadie!" The old woman glared at her granddaughter who only smiled lovingly at the old woman. "They want us to stay here... its a big deal... witches hate werewolves..." Blue whispered. "Come on, River. Let's get you cleaned up. Then we will make some breakfast." Sadie said with a smile as she offered me her hand.