The Hotel: Rise of the Werecat

Prologue

How do you write a story of a place that does not exist? Do you start with its bizarre creation or it's unlikely creator? It seems the most natural place. But I had decided not to start there but rather to start with the most notable person to live there. To tell her story and therefore tell the story of the Hotel.

"We travel all this way just to stand outside?" Zara exclaimed trying to keep her voice down but frustration rose in her voice. Her true emotions spiting her, as always. Her hands twitched, ready for action.

Three teenage girls hid in the dense forest of a country far away from their own; Romania. Even the scent of the forest was foreign, pine instead of eucalyptus, and everything shrouded in mist. That particular fact had gotten some giggles from the girls. At first, the foreign forest was fascinating as the girls travelled across seas very rarely but now after 45 minutes of nothing but it, it was just boring. Zara stood with her arms crossed, golden brown hair spilling over her shoulders. She looked around at the other two.

The blonde's brown eyes scanned the forest, her name was Mary and she looked back to Zara, "Yeah this is pretty lame."

Deep chocolate waves adorned the last girl; Medusa. She unlike the others had stayed put sitting at the base of the tree, "If Korina needs help she'll ask for it."

Korina their leader had disappeared into a cave and told them to wait and to only come when told. Which they were more or less doing.

"What if she doesn't and all we do is stand outside all night?" Zara's eyes locked onto Medusa's. They were strange, so bright green they almost glowed in the darkness. No one could explain Zara's eyes even among their own kind, it was unheard of.

"We should hope that's all we do if Korina can't handle it how would we?" Medusa cocked her head to the side daring Zara to challenge her.

Zara merely smiled and shrugged "Fair enough."

"Yeah like her soft paws can handle them all, she needs us," Mary spat.

Zara and Elekta both shot her a glare. But Zara's glare softened, what if Mary was right?

She looked to the cave in which Korina had disappeared into. It was in the side of the mountain and its dark depths tempted her. Was Korina fighting hundreds down there? All on her own?

The mountain loomed over her, a straight drop from the snow-encrusted peeks. The four had climbed the mountain in the dark, the moon being their only witness to their ascent. Zara didn't notice the sheer drop until Korina had told them to wait, then they had nothing else to do but notice those kinds of things. She turned away from the cave trying to pull her curiosity away from it. The sun had begun to rise turning the sky from deep purple to light blue with creamy vanilla clouds. Though still the mist clung to the air. Aside from Mary's boredom shuffling it was dead quiet. Being an Australian girl, mornings were never quiet. There were always birds around no matter where she went, if it was morning there would be singing. But here no birds sang. Zara knew why Korina was fighting that very reason. That or being destroyed by it.

Zara looked back into the cave again. Surely Korina was ok, she was strong enough to contact them if she really needed too. Wasn't she?

Doubt twisted and fluttered in Zara's gut and fate's finger beckoned Zara closer.

She took a step.

"Zara!" Medusa stood up finally.

But it was too late, Zara had been swallowed up by the darkness of the cave.

Medusa's eyes bulged out of her head. The disobedience was always so infuriating. A gush of wind swept past her as Mary ran after Zara. Medusa took a deep breath as she remembered one of Korina's overriding rules; you're always stronger together.