Post by peanutgregory on Jan 1, 2012 3:20:56 GMT -5
The dark night enclosed everything in silence, cloaking the entire village in its tender embrace. I slunk around my cabin restlessly, arranging and rearranging what few possessions I had. I cocked my head, my hair falling over my shoulder with a quiet swish. I was listening intently for the faintest noise, but there was nothing. I doubted anyone was even left in the village. Turning around irritably, I stalked over to the small and annoyingly uncomfortable single bed that was in the corner of the dingy cabin. The pack hadn't been expecting me, they said. We don't have a cabin prepared for a newcomer, they told me. I snorted and sat down roughly, the scratchy blanket itchy against my skin.
The Shadows weren't expecting me, so they set me up in the tiniest spare cabin they could find, while they went someplace secret and discussed my acceptance. As if they would actually need to think about letting me into their pack.
"They don't know anything about me!" I muttered to nobody except the night. "I shouldn't even be here in the first place."
I scoffed, standing up off the bed and pacing around the small room. It had been the same drill for over an hour now. Walk around restlessly, mutter to myself, raging an internal battle about whether or not I should stay.
"I'm better on my own. I don't even need a stinking pack anyway," I said. Some rational part of my conscience spoke up though, a little, nagging voice in my mind telling me to be reasonable. Alone you are weak, it reasoned. You can be helpful here. Be useful. You're wasting yourself out there on your own.
Not that I cared. I didn't owe the Shadows anything. They'd managed without my skills before, they didn't need them now. I glanced out the tiny, grubby window as a small streak of moonlight tried to shine its way through the grime. I sighed, walking over to the window and looking out. I couldn't see anything; as far as I knew the village was deserted. Surely they wouldn't mind too much if I just had a look around?
They told you to stay put! the annoying voice inside my head snapped. I growled aloud, shaking my head as if I could dislodge it. "Just a minute," I said, a small smile creeping over my face. "They won't even know I left. I'll be back before they return."
I glance around the room even though I knew nobody else was here. With a sharp intake of breath, I summoned the wolf inside me, willing her to the surface of my being. Instead of the familiar itching of fur, the creaking and snapping of bones fusing together into a different shape, my inner wolf was pulled up, and hard. I gasped, it felt like I'd been socked in the gut. "What the crap?" I whispered, confused. My wolf had never refused before. I gritted my teeth and again called her, trying to bring her out and Change.
She wasn't refusing, I realised as again the wolf inside me was brought up short. Something was stopping her from coming out. It was like a solid wall inside me, not letting her come to the surface. With a jolt I realised the Shadows must have somehow stopped me from Changing until a decision had been made.
"Well that's just freaking great!" I snapped, throwing myself onto the bed again. I crossed my arms behind my head and stared furiously at the ceiling.
Just be patient, Lillie, the voice said, trying to calm me. I frowned and turned onto my side, folding the pillow over my face in an attempt to drown it out. Doesn't work too well when the voices are inside your own skull. Everything will work out. A decision will be made soon, you'll belong to a pack, and everything will be okay.
I groaned. "Just shut up already!" I growled, as the door creaked open. I sighed, and didn't move. Laying on my back with a pillow stuffed over my face, yelling at myself.
"Welcome to the Shadow Wolves, Lillie," a voice said. I could just tell they were already wondering what they'd got themselves into. "You'll be appointed a better cabin in the morning. For now, sleep." The door thudded gently behind the messenger and I groaned again. What a great start to my new life. They were all gonna be wondering what to do with the new crazy girl.
"The hell with this," I muttered into my pillow, rolling over and pulling my face out from underneath it. I stared at the door, but nobody else was going to come and see me tonight. I'd just have to wait till morning to vent my frustration to someone. And complain about the room while I was at it.
"Yeah, welcome to the Shadow Wolves alright," I muttered into the darkness, thumping back onto the bed and closing my eyes. "Sleep tight, Lillie." I slowly sank into sleep, frustration and confusion roiling inside me even as I drifted off. We would see what would happen tomorrow. We'd just have to wait and see.
The Shadows weren't expecting me, so they set me up in the tiniest spare cabin they could find, while they went someplace secret and discussed my acceptance. As if they would actually need to think about letting me into their pack.
"They don't know anything about me!" I muttered to nobody except the night. "I shouldn't even be here in the first place."
I scoffed, standing up off the bed and pacing around the small room. It had been the same drill for over an hour now. Walk around restlessly, mutter to myself, raging an internal battle about whether or not I should stay.
"I'm better on my own. I don't even need a stinking pack anyway," I said. Some rational part of my conscience spoke up though, a little, nagging voice in my mind telling me to be reasonable. Alone you are weak, it reasoned. You can be helpful here. Be useful. You're wasting yourself out there on your own.
Not that I cared. I didn't owe the Shadows anything. They'd managed without my skills before, they didn't need them now. I glanced out the tiny, grubby window as a small streak of moonlight tried to shine its way through the grime. I sighed, walking over to the window and looking out. I couldn't see anything; as far as I knew the village was deserted. Surely they wouldn't mind too much if I just had a look around?
They told you to stay put! the annoying voice inside my head snapped. I growled aloud, shaking my head as if I could dislodge it. "Just a minute," I said, a small smile creeping over my face. "They won't even know I left. I'll be back before they return."
I glance around the room even though I knew nobody else was here. With a sharp intake of breath, I summoned the wolf inside me, willing her to the surface of my being. Instead of the familiar itching of fur, the creaking and snapping of bones fusing together into a different shape, my inner wolf was pulled up, and hard. I gasped, it felt like I'd been socked in the gut. "What the crap?" I whispered, confused. My wolf had never refused before. I gritted my teeth and again called her, trying to bring her out and Change.
She wasn't refusing, I realised as again the wolf inside me was brought up short. Something was stopping her from coming out. It was like a solid wall inside me, not letting her come to the surface. With a jolt I realised the Shadows must have somehow stopped me from Changing until a decision had been made.
"Well that's just freaking great!" I snapped, throwing myself onto the bed again. I crossed my arms behind my head and stared furiously at the ceiling.
Just be patient, Lillie, the voice said, trying to calm me. I frowned and turned onto my side, folding the pillow over my face in an attempt to drown it out. Doesn't work too well when the voices are inside your own skull. Everything will work out. A decision will be made soon, you'll belong to a pack, and everything will be okay.
I groaned. "Just shut up already!" I growled, as the door creaked open. I sighed, and didn't move. Laying on my back with a pillow stuffed over my face, yelling at myself.
"Welcome to the Shadow Wolves, Lillie," a voice said. I could just tell they were already wondering what they'd got themselves into. "You'll be appointed a better cabin in the morning. For now, sleep." The door thudded gently behind the messenger and I groaned again. What a great start to my new life. They were all gonna be wondering what to do with the new crazy girl.
"The hell with this," I muttered into my pillow, rolling over and pulling my face out from underneath it. I stared at the door, but nobody else was going to come and see me tonight. I'd just have to wait till morning to vent my frustration to someone. And complain about the room while I was at it.
"Yeah, welcome to the Shadow Wolves alright," I muttered into the darkness, thumping back onto the bed and closing my eyes. "Sleep tight, Lillie." I slowly sank into sleep, frustration and confusion roiling inside me even as I drifted off. We would see what would happen tomorrow. We'd just have to wait and see.