Snow*
I followed Lycan into the woods behind the school and he was already stripping off his clothes getting ready to change into the midnight black wolf. His back muscles rippled with the change, I hadn't seen him shirtless in two years, and then he was a scrawny fourteen year old, who had just started playing football. I looked away, flushing crimson when he dropped his pants. He hadn't seen me yet, too absorbed with his anger to turn around. I started to strip as well as soon as I knew no one could see us. I jumped into the air transforming into the snow white wolf and landed in front of Lycan. He stopped mid stride and sat on his tail I stepped closer to him and was surprised I could hear what he was thinking.
'Travis Dillenholer. With that bitch Charity Bell. Luna and Echo together in the shadows. Snow I'm in love with Snow.' I whined in shock and tried to communicate back to him,
'Don't worry about Dillenholer. Who cares about that slut? Let them be who they are. I love you too Lycan.' I hadn't meant for it all to come out so jumbled; but I was excited at the prospect of professing my love for him; he whined in shock as well and he walked around in a circle around my wolf self and he licked my wolf cheek. I barked in happiness and we ran deeper into the woods. We never left each other's side not for a moment. I saw the sun sinking into the hill tops and thought to Lycan
'Time to head back,' I turned around and ran back to the school grounds where I left my clothes. Lycan was right behind me when all of a sudden I heard a snarl and I turned and saw Lycan face to face with an Unspeakable. He was tall, and as grotesque as the last one I let out a long menacing snarl and then I jumped and aimed for his neck with my teeth. I learned from Mr. Placksworth that our teeth are coated with venom that kills the Unspeakables instantly. I snapped his neck and he fell to the ground. His blood stained the once green forest floor Lycan licked it up. Mr. Placksworth never mentioned why we do this. Maybe the blood of an Unspeakable is toxic and only we can digest it. I smelt the air to be sure we were alone and changed back into my vulnerable human form. I dressed quickly and made sure Lycan was dressed and we made our way out of the woods together hand in hand. We kept looking over our shoulders for more of them. Was this the life we were condemned to live? Constantly living in a state of paranoia of attacks? I wasn't sure I wanted this, but I don't think I had any choice. Destiny, that's what Placksworth said, we had to do this--be who we are because it was our destiny. I didn't want to fulfill this prophecy, I didn't want one of my friends to die. We saw none but we did see our friends, they were in a semi circle around a group of bleachers and Echo was smiling. Like she knew this was going to happen. Luna was squealing and jumping up and down in excitement and Accalia was also doing the happy dance but toned down.She was jealous of course also--but she hid it well. I couldn't help but to smile and I saw Lycan's lip curl up into his half smile half sneer he really didn't like public displays of affection that much and neither did I, holding hands is as far as I would go and the same with Lycan. But this was just so awkward that I let go of his hand slowly but he placed his arm around my waist, claiming me.
"So we ready to start our Friday night? Snow you want to run with us?" Echo asked playfully.
"Yeah totally, Oh and Lycan and I took down an Unspeakable today behind the football field. What did you guys do today?" I laughed nonchalantly at the fact I took down two Unspeakables in one week. Of course I missed a major exam...but by the sounds of things--I wouldn't be needing a human education anytime soon. Lycan didn't let go of me all night well except when we changed. Accalia had driven us to a secluded part of town, just outside the cul de sac where we all lived. Lycan and I decided to freak the others out by telepathically talking to them. They did howl in shock at first but then they fell into it like we did. Our parents didn't really care what we did as long as we told them we would be in our Guardian forms. We came to a creek I had never seen before but Lycan had. He told me he saw it last night when I couldn't go running and the night we all found out, our birthdays. He told me everything how he came across it. We both, Lycan and I changed back into our human forms so we could hear each other's voices.
"So Lycan how did you come across this beautiful place?" I looked into his beautiful green eyes and waited for an answer.
"Well, I was thinking about everything that night, the change. My new responsibilities and the fact that I'm no longer a normal teenager. Then I thought of how you risked your life for the man who lied to us for sixteen years, but I mentally smacked myself because I should have been thinking of Echo, my girlfriend at the time. I just couldn't get you off my mind and I mentally beat myself up so I changed and jumped from my window. I just started to run, faster and faster until all my thoughts drifted away and only my Guardian instincts remained. But when I came upon this place. I thought of you. I thought to myself 'God I really need to show Snow this and then I stopped myself and said Echo I need to show Echo this.' then I changed into the human form and thought more and I remember I thought to myself 'this is the first time I Lycan Taylor Johnston has never cared about what he looks like.'"
"Wow. You actually were thinking about me? Lycan I've liked you for like forever. I only went out with Travis because I thought you really didn't like me that way."
"Really? Me too, I mean I've liked you that way forever but I thought you really liked Travis."
"What a pair we are, huh?" I smiled and pushed him gently. But I must have pushed too hard because he fell off the rock we were sitting on and into the water below. I hurried to the edge and he hadn't come up yet. He finally came up sputtering and splashing in the cold water even if it was June. He looked up at me and smiled devilishly and since the rock was low he grabbed me and pulled me in. I came back up shivering and crawled back up onto the rock. I changed into my wolf and shook the water from me. I was dry in seconds. I should do this instead of blow drying in the morning. Lycan appeared from the water as his wolf and shook out his fur. He yelped to the others and mentally told them it was time to go. The five us took off into the night. We were a blur of darkness.
Lycan
I looked to the side of my running wolf form to see Snow running in pure happiness she was never too far from sight and was never out of my heart. I have to admit I never really felt this way with Echo. I felt odd, because we'd only been broken up for eight hours, and I already had a new girlfriend; but so did she. I was glad she was happy now. So was Luna, her parents are going to flip when they find out who she's dating now. I barked in laughter and the four other wolves around me looked at me strangely but kept on running deep within their own wolf-like thoughts. When we came to the edge of the forest we changed and found our clothes it was strange for me to be the only guy in the group but over the years I had gotten used to it. Snow found my hiding spot where I was getting dressed and laughed when I blushed.
"It's not like we're strangers you know. Remember last summer when we went swimming and your trunks got caught on the rope and ripped them off? Yes I saw it, and well I didn't look away as fast as I should have." This time she blushed.
"Yes and afterwards I walked in on you showering, I am really sorry about that by the way."
"It's fine really its history promise."
"But I enjoyed it and I was with someone else, your best friend."
"It's fine really Lycan. Come on before we have to kill anymore Unspeakables tonight."
"Yes let's go. One Unspeakable in one day is too many." Before I could make my move to leave she pushed me back against the tree and kissed me with so much passion I was dizzy with excitement, Echo never kissed me like that. When we pulled away I was smiling, and so was she. I grabbed her hand and together we walked to Accalia's car. I saw Luna and Echo; leaning against Luna's red Camaro, they quickly released hands when they spotted us and I mouthed to Echo 'it's okay' and motioned to my hand. She looked and smiled and eagerly clasped Luna's in her's and ran to the car laughing. I smiled to myself we were both finally happy. Accalia was shaking her head in annoyance and I laughed even more. Once we were all in the car we decided to go bowling. It was a Friday night ritual for us and we planned to keep that way even if we are Guardians. When we reached the bowling alley "Strike 'em Down!" we quickly and excitedly exited the car and since we were regulars they had shoes waiting for us and a pitcher of Grape Soda as well on lane twelve. Our balls we usually used already there. Ralph the alley owner came up to us with a big smile on his face and noticed our partner change and shook his head, he turned to Terry his wife and said
"You owe me ten bucks Ter."
"Oh I don't owe you anything Ralph. I was the one who bet that Echo would end up with Luna not you!"
"Whatever but I bet that Lycan here would end up with our beautiful Snow. Rightly named Snow White." That was his nickname for Snow she had pale white skin and hair dark as night, she was beautiful just like the fairy-tale. I kissed her cheek to mark my territory so to speak for I saw the other boys looking at her knowing she was single this morning.
"So Ralph you bet ten bucks on us breaking up?" Echo said, her accusation was asked in a joking manner, but Ralph blushed all the same,
"Well it was Terry's idea." Ralph said sheepishly. Blaming his wife wouldn't go down too well with Terry.
"Whatever so we're going to go roll some balls and knock down some pins."
"Okay Echo, have fun kids, show 'em how it's done here!" Ralph called after us. I thought to myself we planned to. On the first round each of us had ten strikes in a row, and everyone around us stopped bowling to watch us, of course they thought we were a league but we were just a bunch of high school teenagers who happened to be protecting each of their butts. Snow was having a little bit of trouble by the fifteenth round and I looked to where she was and saw Travis making out with yet another girl, she wasn't from our school, she wasn't from any school she hadn't been in school for a really long time because she was an Unspeakable, and to think it had to happen in the most crowded spot since our little suburb didn't have a movie theater. The Unspeakable smelt us as well and stopped sucking Travis' soul or what remained of it, and went straight towards us and ran outside changing into our wolves as we went.
The Unspeakable was on top of Luna the slowest of us to change, she had bit a large chunk from Luna's leg; her scream of agony made me inwardly cringe; the Unspeakable was trying to bite us but the rest of us were already wolves and we pounced. Snow being the fastest bit off the head of the Unspeakable and it was over. We hurried and got to the car and changed back. Of course that was our last change of clothes so we had to go home. Accalia started the car and stayed to the unlit streets. She dropped each of us off at our houses and before each of us got out we changed and ran like hell to our doors. Our parents were away on Guardian business or whatever. I realized as I dressed for bed that our lives would never be the same.
Luna-
I limped through my door and hurried to my bathroom. Leaving a trail of blood behind me, I turned on the light and stifled a scream at the grotesque sight in front of me. My leg was torn to pieces, I could see bone. I hurried to get it cleaned up I knew I should go to the hospital but Snow was healed in no time last night and this morning. I wrapped it in a bandage and hurried to clean up the blood on the stairs and hallways. After I was finished and the house smelled of bleach and soap I went to bed. I was woken in the morning by my parents and the smell of coffee. I got up and stretched I glanced down at my leg and saw blood had seeped through the bandages and I hurried to the bathroom to change the bandage but before I could even move I was overcome with a vision
The cliffs were high above the five wolves, they were searching, looking for the one they must defeat. Fire and brimstone surrounded the saviors the All Powerful One cowered in the shadows waiting plotting his attack; picking out the weakest link, Echo whose emotions were in turmoil, and the strongest Snow, the purest of them all. One shall fail one shall become the Most Powerful.
I woke up from the vision and the room was cold; my leg was not bloody any longer I eased myself onto my elbows. My parents came running into my room I must've screamed without knowing it.
"Luna darling are you well?" my mother questioned and her eyes looked down and saw the bloody bandage. "What happened to you?"
"I had a vision just now and we were attacked by a female Unspeakable last night after bowling. She got to me before I completed my change and tore a chunk from my leg. But after my vision I was completely healed."
"This is a troubling event. I'll call the Elders." My father left the room not even checking to see if I was alright. Valentine Everett was always business; even when it came to me.
"Call the other saviors we must discuss your new ability." She fled from the room and I wondered what I did to make them react this way. Wasn't it normal to have visions as a Guardian? I grabbed my iPhone and hit call.
"Echo I have to tell you something."
"Yes Luna what is it? Oh how's your leg?"
"Fine but I need you to come to my house. Call Lycan and the others as well."
"What is going on Luna Lu?"
"Nothing majorly important but just hurry...please Echo Bear?"
"Echo Bear, um just call me honey alright?"
"Yes okay please hurry."
"I'm on it." She hung up and I collapsed onto my bed defeated by what just happened, and realized I wasn't normal well in the sense of being a Guardian. I hurried to dress and as I was taking two steps at a time down the stairs my phone rang in my pocket. Startled I missed a step and toppled down the stairs and landed in a heap. I slowly answered the phone and whimpered a faint
"Hello? This better be worth falling down the stairs for."
"Uh yes terribly sorry Luna but I heard of your new ability development and just wanted to let you know that I'll be attending the meeting as well." It was Mr. Placksworth, so not worth it.
"Thanks but I would have figured it out sometime don't ya think? How the hell did you get my number?"
"Your file, watch that vile tone young lady."
"I'll tell you what to watch!" I hung up accidentally and didn't bother to call back instead I propped myself on the stair railing. My mother came into the hall just then and rushed to me and said
"What is it darling? Did you have another vision?"
"No I was coming down the stairs and I got a phone call and I was so startled I missed a step and fell."
"Who called you?"
"Mr. Placksworth, help me up mom?"
"Of course, it's just not your day huh darling?" she settled me on the couch and went to get me some tea. I heard the doorbell and I yelled "Come in." I heard my four friends follow my voice and when they saw me on the couch and then noticed my leg healed they came over to me to start asking questions.