Growing Tails

Chapter One: Growls of the Night

Chapter One:
~Magnolia~

It growled from above, and fear squeezed my chest. With every step I took, the guttural noises felt louder and closer. My dress was torn and soaked, but I couldn't afford to stop. I tripped. A scream escaped me.

I sat upright. My breath was hot and heavy. Beside me laid my brother. Oak shifted a little before he sat upright as well. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes before his blue-green gaze rested on me.

"What happened?" he asked. "What happened in your nightmare?"

Instead of providing an answer, I ran my fingers through my hair and combed out as many knots as possible. Oak shook his head before he tucked the blonde strand behind my ear. His shoulders sank with a deep sigh.

"It was just a nightmare, Leah," he cooed, and his arm wrapped around me. "Was it the shadow monster again?"

When I nodded, I rested my head on his shoulder. We remained like that for a few minutes before his stomach announced its hunger. My eyes glanced about the small home we "built" in the roots of a tall willow tree. It took a moment to find the knapsack. I opened the bag and pulled out a wrapped loaf of bread.

Suddenly, Oak's ears twitched. I lowered the wrapped loaf. The sand-haired boy approached the entrance of the dugout and poked his head outside. His dust-colored tail twitched. I quietly and quickly shoved the wrapped loaf in the knapsack.

Oak returned to my side and helped pack everything. Once everything was gone from sight, my brother strapped his sword sheath to his back. It was something he always did before going outside.

"Leah, be careful," Oak warned as always, and I nodded to reassure him.

Finally, we emerged from the tree's roots and stepped through the willow's curtain. The two of us shook the dirt off our clothing before we continued forward in search of the nearest village, in hope of a safe place.

Different types of trees scattered about the forest, and their canopy hid much of the cloudy sky, but the wind rustled their branches. Bird songs sounded from those same trees. It was all so peaceful.

Oak turned to me. "Can you sense anything? Anything that might be danger?"

"Why?" I inquired.

He shrugged. "I smelled something weird when I poked my head out, but it seems to have disappeared."

Then, a screech silenced the forest. Oak and I exchanged a glance. With a nod, we broke into a run. Grass and fallen leaves crunched beneath our boots. My heart pounded against my chest. Is it behind us? I was too scared to look back. How far is the village?

It wasn't long before we slowed to a stop beside a stream. We had to catch our breath. When I crouched next to the stream, Oak unsheathed his silver sword. He took a deep breath as he held out his free hand. In moments, he held a ball of flames. His lynx ears twitched once more. I packed the canteen again and rose to my feet before I held out my own hands.

That was when it appeared. The beast had a scrawny body with large paws, and its teeth were in disarray. It was a mirov.

In the blink of an eye, the mirov lunged for Oak and me, but my brother had already stepped forward and slashed his sword. The beast ducked below Oak's swing and bit the boy's leg. A yowl escaped the lynx-eared boy. Before I could move a muscle, Oak drove his sword through the mirov. Blue blood splattered. The mirov slumped against Oak's leg.

My brother shook his sword to get some of the blood off before he sheathed it once more. A grimace remained on his face as he pried the creature's jaw open and freed his leg. Oak stumbled towards me, and I caught him before he crumbled to the ground.