Nike

Prologue

"YOU ARE NOT MY DAUGHTER!" his harsh voice screams, while he drags a child of about 3 years old through the forest. "IF I EVER SEE YOU AGAIN I'LL KILL YOU!"

The child cries out in anguish as the rough underbrush of the forest scrapes her back and legs. "Daddy! Why Daddy hate Nike?"

"YOU ARE NOT MY DAUGHTER!" He growls angrily into her face as he holds up by the back of her neck.

Tears slip down her cheeks and her hoarse voice breaks, "But mama said you were."

"SHE'S NOT YOUR MOTHER!" the man spits in her face before throwing her against a tree.

The girl's eyes flutter shut as she slips into unconsciousness. The man walks back down the path away from where he left the girl without a glance, as a small tear slips down his face.

Sometime later, the smell of blood attracts a small family of 5 wolves.

A young pup tries to step forward to sniff her, but the male wolf jumps in front of him as the female wolf grabs hold of the scruff of his neck. A low whine of pain comes from Nike laying against the tree as her consciousness comes around.

"Careful son. She's one of those filthy humans." A voice from the oldest male wolf warns the wolf who jumped in front of the pup.

"She smells of blood, Dad. She's injured and tiny." The male wolf who jumped in front of the pup replies lowly.

A small whisper escapes the human girl's mouth, "Who's talking? Why's it dark?"

The oldest female wolf turns to her mate, "Can she understand us, Roland?"

Her mate's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, "That's not possible Rory. No human has ever been able to understand us. Maybe she heard our low growls as human mumbles."

A small voice yells back at him, "I understand. I hear you. Who you?"

All 5 pairs of wolf ears twitch, and their eyes focus on the human still laying against the tree with small moans of pain coming through once in a while.

The younger female wolf releases her hold of her son's scruff before stepping around her husband. "Shadow, stay there." She tells her pup.

"But Mooom" He whines, dragging her title.

"Shadow, listen to your mother." Her mate steps in. "Scarlet, please be careful."

"Of course, Shale." the young female rolls her eyes at her mate as she steps close to the young human who still hasn't left the tree. "Dearie, can you see me?"

A small sniffle from the human precedes a shocking realization, "No, too dark. Who you?"

The adult wolves exchange glances, but the young pup yells, "It's sunny right now, not dark. Why can't you see us?"

"What are you talking about? It's pitch black right now?" The young human whispers in confusion. "Urgh my head hurts."

Soon the smell of blood surrounding the human girl grows and the mother notices drops of blood coming down the back of her head. "Her head is bleeding. I think she's blind."

"Blind!?!" Nike cries out.

"Yes my dear," Scarlet says in a comforting voice. "Where's your family? Are you here alone?"

"Daddy said I wasn't his daughter anymore and left me here." Nike sobs.

A low whine of sadness comes from Scarlet as her motherly instincts overwhelm her. "It's ok dearie. Can you tell us your name?"