The Luna Cure

PROLOGUE

(10 years ago)

The swift movement of the blur was what caught my attention. The creature sprinted all over the yard, stopping behind every few tree. I didn't usually get to see animals out in the forest, especially the ones that lived around here, but I was confused why this animal was here. It looked like a cat, but none of our distant neighbors had cats, and we lived quite far from others.

Somehow, I had walked out the sliding back door. I don't remember when, or what happened between when I was watching the cat through the window and when I was on the patio, but suddenly I was. And in my trance, I walked after the animal.

I didn't stop walking. It was weird, how unaware I was of everything except the cat. I felt childish, being so intrigued in a simple black cat, but I couldn't help it. I was strangely obsessed with it.

When I realized I had strayed from my house, it was too late. I had been walking for a long time, and it had turned dark and cold. I shivered and glanced around, my arms crossing and rubbing themselves. I was in the middle of the forest, with no clue which way my home was.

I felt terrified. It was dark, and I was no place I was familiar with. I knew my wolf was on edge, but I had just shifted, and I was still learning all this wolf stuff.

The cat had disappeared a while ago. It had walked behind a tree and never came back out.

I heard footsteps to my left and jumped back. From behind the tree the cat disappeared to, an old woman came out. I took more steps back.

"Oh dearie, don't be scared. I know how easy it is to get lost in these woods. Do you need help getting home?" She offered me a smile, showing her yellowing teeth. The wrinkles in her face deepened with the smile, but her eyes didn't look friendly. They were pitch black.

I shook my head at her, not stoping moving away from her. Her eyes narrowed just the slightest bit at this, and she took steps towards me. "Now, child, I am here to help. I know most of the people around this forest, and I could get you home."

I shook my head again, and when she took two big steps towards me, I turned around and broke into a run.

She cursed behind me, and sprinted towards me, trying to catch up. I urged my short legs to go faster, faster, away from the lady, but I felt my ankle catch on a tree root. I flew forward, and my knee scraped on a rock as I landed on the leafy ground.

"No!" I sobbed, tears running down my face as I tried to get up. I had barely managed to get a knee off the ground before I felt her bony fingers grab my arm.

"Not so fast, dearie." She snarled, her fingers a tight vice, bruising me. I cried, pulling away from her.

She stared me in the eyes, a glint in hers I was too young to understand. "Now you come back with me."

"No, no, please! Please, my family... I didn't mean to leave!" I sobbed, pulling away from her. My heels dug into the ground as I tried and tried to wrench my arm out of her grip. But she simply tightened her fingers, her nails digging into my skin.

"Shut up, imbecilic child!" She slapped me hard across the face, and I sobbed harder.

"No, no!" I screamed, and I used my other hand to claw at her, trying to inflict any pain I could.