The Beast Within

Chapter 1

I breathed in deeply, trying to slow my racing heart. The brisk morning wind pushed the cold air into my frozen nose. I loved this weather. No one else was here. No one, but me and my prey. I breathed out just as the wind blew it back in my face. My moist breath lended me a few seconds of warmth before being cast behind me into my tangled hair.

I was down-wind, which was a good thing, but that meant I was also behind- all this blasted snow was up to my ankles, hiding dried roots and old holes. I bent down, using my bow as an anchor, and traced the faded track of my prey. It was starting to snow again, I'd better hurry before all the tracks are covered.It hadn't snowed a lot, but it wasn't exactly melting either. The cloud cover looked extensive, but I wasn't to worried about it, it was just enought to hope I didn't loose my trail.

I followed the prints as silent as a ghost. The weight distributed from hoof to hoof told me this animal was heavy enough to feed me for a while. At least an eight point, the tracks were deep, barring the cold hard dirt underneath. Various branches were scraped bare of bark, signalling he was about ready to loose his antlers. Something moved in the brush. I breathed slowly as I readied my bow and took an arrow out of the leather quiver at my back. I stood for a few moments, almost letting my arms drop, when I saw it. This young buck was mine, all mine.

I breathed again, letting my breath thaw my eyelashes a bit as I blinked. I drew back on the taunt string, breathed in, and let it go. The graceful arrow arched through the air, cutting through the cold winter wind like a hot knife through butter, and would have hit the target straight through the eye- if not for an unexpected variable.

A patch of snow moved so fast, I thought an avalanche had started at first, but then it leaped and I saw it for what it truely was- a wolf. A great white wolf. I blanched at the thought that this wolf would catch my prey and I would go hungry. I quickly plucked another arrow, not wanting to watch the graceful dive through the air, that looked so much like my arrow had, as teeth were bared and eyes were flashing. It landed on the buck, knocking it clear of my perfectly aimed arrow, and flung it down to the ground by it's neck. So powerful for something so small. The buck stuggled to get up, the wound at his neck bleeding, dripping onto the snow. Violence and innocence mixing together like a long wedded couple.

I growled and let loose my arrow as the wolf leaped for the buck's throat again, this time I caught my prize. A surprised yelp sounded through the cold morning air, echoing as the voice of pain bounced from tree to tree. I smirked, served him right. The buck reared up and kicked the wolf into the brush it came from before turning tail and running, leaving a trail of brilliant red ruby drops in the stark white flakes of snow. I growled at the thought, but that wound was mortal. That buck was going to die- but not by my hand! That wolf cheated me! I had him! I left the trail of the buck, he wasn't my kill.

I quickly ran for the second blood trail- the wolf's. I jumped over a fallen log, around the brush, and under a snow ladden branch. The trail ended, the wolf was mine now. It was just getting up, shaking it's head to clear it after that buck's kick. It tried to stand, only to fall when the wolf tried to put weight onto it's front leg. My arrow and pierced his shoulder. Yes! I stepped away from the tree, an arrow notched. This mutt was mine.

Silent footsteps carried a not so silent voice to my ears. I could practically feel the warm fur I would soon be wearing as a coat as I pulled back the string. I took my eyes off my prize for a second as the noises got closer- good thing too. I ducked back behind the tree as a figure barreled through- a man. Not just any man, the King. Awe crap. I looked at the fallen wolf, the blood was everywhere, but I could still see it's breath fog against the cold as mine did. I held my shirt to my mouth, covering the cloud and warming my nose as I waited for the King to notice the wounded animal.

He stumbled through, looking every which way, before he spotted it- my wolf. He looked at it puzzled for a moment, before bending down and fussing over it. I almost knocked my head against the tree as I heard him growl. I'd forgotten in my anger- wolves were sacred. They were not to be hunted. No excuses. His law stated that the punishment for the killing of a wolf was to be killed as well. I almost growled myself. What an idiot. The man fancies himself like them, but he isn't. He's cruel and arrogant. I heard him mutter something as more footsteps approached. I needed to get out of here. I obviously wouldn't be killing me a wolf any time soon. But the wolf was rare, it would show up again. And I would be ready and waiting.

Arrows ready.