The Enchanted Woods: book 1

Chapter 4

I know it sounds risky but maybe if I do they will see that I am not weak. I look down at Jason's sweet body laying on the ground. I quietly unzip his back pack and take out a piece of paper and a pen. I decided to leave him a letter explaining my absence.

Dear Jason,

As you can see I am not in the cave. I have thought about Xaivier's words, and I decided to run away. I am not returning to town. I am trying to strengthen myself. Please do not come after me. I love you a lot but this is my choice. Good bye Jason

Love forever,

Alice

As I signed the letter A teardrop fell down my cheek and dripped onto the paper. I stand up and place it gently on Jason's chest. Then I kiss his forehead softly.

"I love you," I whisper so quietly.

Then I grab what was left of the berries and walk out into the frigid snow. I begin to walk away, my feet crunching softly in the snow. I look down and let tear after tear leave my eyes. When I finally look back up I see that the sky is beginning to lighten up. My lips have completely frozen and my toes and fingers were numb. All the light had left my eyes. I was so tired, but I was afraid that if I sat down I would not be able to get back up. But my legs were slowly starting to give out. But I fought on, breathing heavily as I went.

Walking on like this makes every minute feels like an hour. And what feels like hours later I collapse, unable to find any strength to regain myself. I lay there waiting for fate to take me away, when I here a soft voice coming from nearby.

"Hello? Who's there?" I shout off. When I find no reply I jerk my head from side to side. Right when I'm about to give up, I see the figure of a small girl, about 12, a few yards away.

She comes up to me hesitantly. I observe her features in the coming daylight: blond hair covered in snow, pale skin that is almost as white as the snow. Her eyes are a brilliant, deep blue, with long black eyelashes. She extends one of her unnaturally pale hands to me and helps me up.

"Who are you?" I ask her gently

"My name is Sapphire. Who are you?"

"My name is Alice." I think about the name for a moment. I think I remember hearing about a girl being lost named Sapphire...

"Have they come for me? I cannot go back! You do not understand." she yells in terror. I look in her eyes and see the same fear that I have.

I shake my head. "No one is with me..." she glances side to side and I see on her neck 2 little scars. "Sapphire, I think I understand," she jerks her head back and looks at me. I toss my hair to one side and reveal my still red cuts from where Jason bit me.

"You are one of us..." I nod my head. Then she collapses next to me. "Did... Jason... do this to you..." she mutters softly. I nodded my head again.

Then out of no where she begins thrashing angrily in the snow. Small screams of pain escape her mouth as she squirms around. I become nervous and try to steady her. Then I notice that small cat ears were coming out of her head, and a tail was emerging from her jeans. I scrambled to my feet and took a step away. Then she became totally motionless, laying down on her side in the snow. I swear my heart is about to stop before I see her push her way out of the snow. I examine her closely and see that her tail is white with black stripes and her hair is the same pitch black colour as mine.

"Why haven't you changed yet?"

"I was only bitten a few days ago," I tell her. At that moment a splurge of pain shoots through my veins. I sit back down and look up at her. She just stands there motionless. Then I scream in pain as the pain spreads through the rest of me. And the pain must cause me to faint because the next thing i see is Sapphire's feet in front of me. I sit up and see her smiling.

"You are a snow tiger. Just like me."

I look at her in confusion then see my tail waving side to side. White with black stripes; just like hers. She helps me back up. I walk over to the now frozen creek and see my blurred reflection. My hand reaches up and feels the cold, soft cat ears atop my head. I turn and look at Sapphire. She looks... exactly like me. Her eyes were just a deep deep violet.

"Please Alice... Take me with you. We can protect each other from the night dangers. Things happen in these woods that you wouldn't believe." Sapphire tells me. I look into her eyes and see the desperate longing. I kneel down next to her and hug her.

"You can come along with me. How have you been surviving?"

She grins and begins walking as the snow begins coming down heavier and heavier. I join her by her side as she walks along swiftly. She just jumps over low hanging branches and bushes with ease. I fing myself tripping and falling over every other minute. Finally we walk out into a small clearing. My eyesight was beginning to get hazy but I can just make out a small shape. As I keep moving I see it getting larger and larger. It's a small abandoned cottage. Sapphire runs back over to me and pulling me along. She opens the door and it let's out a loud shrieking noise. The inside was warmer than I had expected. I heard a crackling and look over and see some birds, skinned and frying over a warm fire. Sapphire walks over and sits down. She pulls off the two small birds and lays them on a sheet of cardboard.

"Here. You should be able to catch stuff like this in a few weeks," she tells me pushing one of the little birds over to me. I tear off one of the wings and a sweet juice drips off of it. I bear my deadly teeth and sink them into it. It is better than any food I have ever had. My mouth watered slightly and I finished the bird in only a few minutes.

Sapphire had gone outside a while ago. Where is she? Then I hear a low growl and a loud hiss. I stand up and bolt out the door. I see Sapphire... her eyes wide and teeth bared. Then just a few yards away in the woods, I see a dark silhouette growling viciously at us. I glare out at it and hiss softly. Then it just stops. It must be another human mutant because it take a few steps out on two feet.

"Who are you?" The deep voice says.

"Alice..."

Then he steps out so I can see his face. He has grey wolf ears and a black shaggy tail.

"I am Austin," he says quietly as I carefully observe the rest of him...

Black hair that covers most of his face. He's about 5'7" and very muscular. He's... gorgeous...

Another hiss comes from Sapphire "Alice! Leave this creature alone!" But I don't listen to her. I keep staring at Austin. He just stares back and grins. "ALICE!" I glance over towards her.

"I am sorry to disturb you. My pack abandoned me today. I could smell the warmth of your fire and could not help but come and ask if you would take me in," he says smoothly. I nod my head stupidly.

"No!" Sapphire shouts.

"Let him! He could be useful."

"Fine..." She says and runs off into the cottage. He looks at me and smiles.

"Thank you," he says taking a few steps closer to me and putting and firm hand on my shoulder. My heart feels like it skips a beat. Then he walks past me into the cottage. My heart flutters softly and I grin.

I walk into the cottage and see Sapphire over on her bed sleeping quietly. Then I look over by the fire and see Austin sitting in front of the fire without a shirt. My jaw drops as I look at his muscular body. He turns his head and sees me and laughs. His laugh is just so sexy...

"Sorry I fell down in the woods and my shirt was all we from snow. Does this bother you?" He asks grinning. I shake my head softly and he spreads out his arms. "Maybe you can warm me up, gorgeous."

I blush and walk over slowly and hug him. He laughs softly again. Wow... Forget Jason! I think I'm in love with Austin... I think with a grin. He looks into my eyes and smiles before leaning in slowly and pressing his lips against mine. My heart is skipping beats but beating a mile a minute. When he pulls out I plant the same stupid grin on my face. He smiles and closes his eyes with me curled up at his side. I close my eyes too and think about Austin. Is it right for a snow tiger like me to fall in love with a wolf like him? He is gorgeous! How can it be wrong? I mean seriously... what's the worst that could happen? Then I fall asleep...