The Witch of the Moon Goddess

Yvette had the same nightmare. Again. Though it wasn't as much a dream as it was a memory. Raging fires. The smell of burning flesh. Screams shaking her body to her very core and tears pouring out as she wailed for the world to hear. But the only people to hear her were her captors, who couldn't shut her up no matter how much they hit and yelled at the 6 year old child. Yvette pulled one of her hands towards her face and her captors hand along with it, as she wiped her snot all over their joined hands. The one holding it shrieked and pulled her hand back trying to find something to wipe it with. The other jumped back quickly worrying she'd be next, allowing Yvette to curl into a ball on the ground and try to block out the sight and the screams as she sobbed. "Why do we have to mind the brat?" the snorted witch complained. "I don't understand why they didn't just kill her off the bat!" "It's meant to be a spectacle Elaine, so no one dares think to even help someone with such delusions ever again." her friend reminded her. "Plus, you're only just sour you got your new dress dirty" "I didn't get it dirty! This rat did!" she exclaimed while kicking Yvette to the ground, holding her arm with her other hand just below the stain, keeping it away from the rest of her clothing. "Now help me find something to clean it with before it soaks through!" Yvette propped herself up on the ground, her face scratched and full of dirt, looking at the two witches shuffling about looking for somekind of handkerchief. For the first time in the last 12 hours Yvette realised the she wasn't being restrained... Or watched. This was her chance. Maybe her only chance. She slid up one of her feet and pushed off the ball of it, sprinting across the courtyard illuminated only by the pyre burning her father alive. Her father an anyone who knew her family... She managed to make ke it halfway across before the witches followed suite. She tried to pick up her speed. Tiredness was for the living. If she got caught now she was already dead. She tripped on a rock, sliding across the ground as a fireball landed inches away from her face. Close call. These demented bitches were launching missiles at her! And from the sounds of their shrieks they weren't far behind. Yvette scrambled up just as a lightning bolt stuck on her other side, missing her by mi limiters and synging the ends of her brown hair. She took a gulp of air, swallowing down her own fear, and beelined it into the forest. Yvette didn't know the forest that well but she knew the entrances girls wouldn't even get close to, and that's exactly where she went. After a while slight dodges stopped slowing her down. As the smell and racket started to fade she could hear the witches screaming at her to stop, but she also heard the hitch in their breathing. Witches like noble ladies, appeared to not be used to running. She thanked God she was neither, not that she knew, such was the foolishness of youth. As the air became fresher and crisper, she jumped into the biggest mud puddle at the entrance to the forest, splashing it far and wide before to continuing on. The witches paused, dreading the thought of getting dirty, but knowing they'd be skinned alive if they lost the wretch they gathered themselves and carried on. A little girl was much harder to see in the forest in the middle of the night, but the stillness of the woods allowed them to follow her by sound. A branch broken here, a thud against a tree there, made a pretty simple path to follow. "Come here little bird!" the witches taunted. "we can hear you chirp! Give in and I'll spare your vocal cords to hear you scream!" Yvette payed them no heed, jumping from ground to rock to free, sometimes swinging off the branches. Until she tripped. Again. Right in front of a dark blue eyed wolf who was baring his teeth at the dirty child. Great. Maybe she should have tried to play with the boys more. Its not like the girls were that friendly anyway. She gathered herself into a sitting position, her eyes wide, and pushed herself back using her hands and heels, sliding back into the bark of the tree, never once taking her eyes of the wolf. Wolf or witch.. Which was the better deal? Swift death or suffering? Either way she wasn't going to get a choice because the witches had already caught up. Now her life was in the hands of fate. A fight between a beast and the witches was sure as the wolfs attention snapped to them. A growl escaped him as he started his approach with teeth and claws bared. "Well lookie here Mildred. The mut found herself a friend." Elaine snorted reaching her hand out and allowing a ball of fire to start building. "Let's see how long he lasts" she said as she launched the missile at the wolf. The wolf easily evaded and jumped straight for her neck, ripping it out in one swift motion. Mildred's eyes widened in shock as she took a step back, tripping over a root sticking out from the ground and falling on her ass just as the wolf launched at her. Mildred quickly produced a bolt of lightning and clutched it on either end. She shoved the middle into the wolves mouth and tried to push him off her. The wolf whimpered before letting out another growl and smashing his jaw down on the bolt, shattering it. "There's now way! You're just a pup!" Mildred managed to get out before the wolfs claw made its way across her neck. First the left, then the right, and so on until her neck was shredded enough for her head to roll away. Yvette covered her mouth and tried to hold her tears in. Not to make anymore noise. To dissappear. Hoping he'd have his fill with the two witches and forget about her. But maybe she should be screaming. Maybe the witches treatment was more humane than being torn to shreds. But even at such a young age deep down she knew it wasn't. It was just that he was now the immediate threat. The wolf turned towards her, blood spilling from his mouth, teeth still bared. Claws full of bloody flesh still drawn. He looked around slowly, assessing for anymore opponents. But there was none, so he started towards her. She pressed herself deeper into the tree bark, hand covering her mouth and nose, trying to stifle her sobs. The wolf approached but instead of attacking he stuck his head into the space between her neck and her shoulders, sniffing her.. Sylrie felt paralysed with the wolf so close. Slowly he drew in his claws and drew away from her, fangs no longer on full display. He looked her in the eyes and looked at her as if in disbelief. But he was just an animal. Surely she was misreading it. Misremembering it. Imagening it. She sat there entranced. Afraid to draw breath in fear of attack. Or was it really fear of breaking the spell. Thankfully, someone else did it for her. The crack of a branch made them both snap their attention to the intruder. "Thank god. Yvette!" her mother exclaimed as she took a step towards her. She must have escaped her guards too, though they had seemed a lot more capable than her own ones even to a six year old. The wolf stood in between her and her mother. Teeth and claws bared once more. Prepared to fight. Her mother transitioned to a more stable stance, finding her center of balance and brining her hands up, getting ready to fight. She glanced at the wolf and then at the two witches remains, and back at the wolf. "Very honorable of you to protect my daughter, but I can take over from here" she said to the wolf, while taking a step forward. The wolf growled. "I'm getting her out of here and to safety. It's become too dangeours for us to remain." she took another step. The wolf tensed and growled louder, getting ready to pounce. Yvette made her way up the tree and darted around the wolf, jumping into her mother's arms. "Mama!" Her mother let out a large umph as she caught her and take a step back to steady herself further. "As you can see, my daughters coming with me" she informed the wolf. Who appeared a little more relaxed. Her mother turned on her heel, not paying the wolf anymore heed, and began to walk away. She hadn't even taken two steps when the wolf jumped in front of her snarling. "Fine, you can come a long." she said as she bypassed him. "But just for now". The wolf appeared a little confused and displeased but hid his teeth and followed them. And that's where the dream would end. They would later come across one more group of guards, humans this time, before they managed to secure a horse and get away, but Yvette had already fallen asleep by the point. The stress and horror of the day taking its tole and her, allowing her to take solace in the safety of her mothers arms. When she woke they were stopped at a stream about two days ride from their hometown. No wolf in sight. Only her, her mother, and her new sapphire necklace on her neck. 15 arduous years have passed since that day with the two women constantly on the run. Never stopping anywhere for longer than a few days. Only the two of them, always. But the dream never left her alone. She screamed through the night at least once a month. It was recurring. As if someone or something didn't want her to forget, ever... Even the ending to the dream wasn't a happy one to her, a brief respite in between madness. As time continued she would experience much more death. Experience injury. Watch her mother kill, but somehow never do it herself. She supposed that was the duty of a parent. To protect and teach their child. And that she did.