Chapter 3: Wray?!

A darker haired teenage boy rapped on Thomas' door. His expression worried and pained greatly. His brown eyes seemed to turn black without their usual sparkle.

Thomas scrambled for the door and opened it, his blue eyes widened when he saw how drepressed the teenager was. "What happened?"

The boy looked up, his eyes desperate for the answer he solemnly wished for, "Is Wray here?"

Thomas was confused at his question; why would Wray be here? He asked himself before shaking his head no. "Haven't seen her since she left to check out that sailin' ship. Why?"

The boy looked even more saddened now, his shoulders sagged, his breath was short and choppy, his eyes even darker, and his usually olive skin seemed to pale three shades. "Vohin told her that she had to go and scout ahead with me but... I'm afraid that she left without me... Why does she hate me?" Damun seemed to ask the world the last part and sighed deeply.

Thomas was taken aback by this and stood there, to stunned to move for a moment. When he could finally speak he whispered, "She's been like this ever since Vohin refused to give her their family name..."

Damun looked up, it was his turn to look shocked. His eyes lightened slightly as he thought, atleast it's not me she's angry at... Or is it?

Thomas looked down when Damun didn't reply and added. "I'm sorry but I assume your right; she has probably left. Go, find her." He shooed the depressed teenager away before shouting to him, "And take those newcomers! They need to learn a thing or two about survival!"

Damun nodded slowly and grabbed hold of a short vine. Using it, he swung to the next platform and beated the door to one of the newcomers' huts.

A groan came from inside as someone shuffled about and soon the door swung inwards to reveal a messy and exhausted Valerie. She was to tired and annoyed to even notice that she stood in front of a boy her age instead of an older man like Thomas. "What the fuck do you want?"

"Come on; we have to find Wray. Hurry now," Damun informed her, to stressed to be polite or 'well mannered' as his mother puts it.

Valerie almost collapsed into a fit at his words. She used to sleep 'til noon, now she has to wake up at what? Six, seven in the morning? She didn't know; she didn't have a stupid watch! She just wanted to go to bed and wake up back in her home in California and to have breakfast in bed on a silver platter that a maid had brought. Why couldn't she wake up?!

Damun moved to wake up Elliott but before he could the door opened and Elliott stepped out and stretched his arms stiffly. His blue hair swept onto his forehead, wet with sweat. He turned and noticed the younger boy.

"Ah, hello." He greeted with a small wave as he walked to Valerie, who still stood in her doorway, her eyes were closed while she imagined she was still in her room. "Valerie?"

She jerked from her fantasies and turned to glare daggers at Elliott, not even caring that he had been the one to swim her across the water. "What?"

"Stop sulking and fix yourself up." He ordered, although he was a boy and nowhere near Valerie's family she thought the best word to describe him was motherly. Or fatherly if you want to be exact.

But Valerie did what he said and slammed the door behind her. After a few minutes she came out better looking than before. Elliott nodded his approval.

"I am Damun," he introduced himself after their little exchange. "And we need to find Wray."

"Why?" Valerie asked abruptly, almost reluctantly. Her platinum blond hair went down her shoulders in tangled waves.

"Because she ran off to defeat an enemy of ours but she can't do it alone; she'll get herself killed!" Damun told them quickly before turning and grabbing the nearest vine.

"We're using vines again!" Valerie complained, dropping her head in annoyance and slight anger.

"Oh, stop it and act like the seventeen-year-old that you are." Elliott was born into a very strict and poor family, he had spent his childhood stealing and running. His survival skills were still as sharp as they were back then.

Damun nodded, more to himself, and slid down the vine to the ground below. Elliott followed confidently this time, but when he landed his knees gave out and he fell onto his butt. Valerie came down as well, almost crushing Elliott. Damun had to hold back his chuckle, then he turned away and headed toward one of the caves.

Elliott pushed Valerie away and followed Damun to the cave. Valerie came too, though not quietly.

"Danni? Shania?" Damun whispered, the braziar was empty of any kind of flame and the den was cold and dark. Suddenly something made a shuffling noise and a looming figure stepped forward, her bulk showing her youth. The black Dire Wolf, Shania, bared her massive teeth in greeting.

"Hello Damun, who are these?" She shifted her hazel eyes to Elliott and Valerie, her fur rippling in the morning light.

"Hello Shania, these two are Elliott and Valerie. They're here to help us track down Wray." He bowed his head in respect to the gigantic beast, who almost stood taller than Apel.

Elliott was speechless, a look of pure terror and disbelief masked his face and his knees trembled. Valerie, on the other hand, almost screamed and tripped, faceplanting on the ground.

"Who's here?" A drousy voice asked from within the depths of the cave. A moment later and Danni appeared from beside his partner.

"Hey Danni, you ready to find Wray?" Damun asked the younger boy with fake excitement.

"Huh... What..?" Danni rubbed his eyes slowly, his hair was wild from the night before and his shirt was crooked.

Shania turned to look down at the little boy, patience and a kind of recklessness seemed to raise her fur. Her hazel eyes matching her partner's completely, almost like they were one being. Danni's hands snapped down to his sides, his eyes seemed to glow, his hair waved gracefully in the wind, and a look of pure courage crossed his now grinning face. Before he opened his mouth to speak he straightened his shirt and patted Shania's foreleg.

"What're we waiting for? Let's go!" Danni's voice was full of newfound alertness and excitement as he gripped to Shania's fur and climbed upon her back, riding her like a horse.

Damun let a small smile play at his lips before, he too, climbed up behind Danni. Elliott followed with caustous movements but Shania made no move to stop him, she even seemed to chuckle. But not Valerie, she just stood there, frozen in anger and fear.

"I'm not getting onto... Onto... That... That thing!" She protested coldly, her aquatic eyes sparked with fury and fear- a horrible combination if you asked Damun.

Shania growled, baring her sharp teeth in rage. Her eyes locked on Valerie, her muscles rippled underneath her beautiful hide, and her voice rang out loudly. "Do not call me that again, human. I can tolerate once- but only once. Make that mistake again and I'll personally rip you to shreds."

Valerie paled greatly, her heart beating so fast that the great black beast could hear it. It satisfied the Dire Wolf.

"I-I-I am t-ter-ribly s-s-s-sorry-y," Valerie stuttered in fear, her eyes stuck upon the sight of all those massive canines within the wolf's jaw.

Shania froze, listening to her partner through their connection, leave her be, just run by and we'll catch her on the way out. Danni told her with a single thought and a flash of green- as in green meant go.

Shania sighed inwardly, fine. She braced her forepaws against the ground and, using her hind legs, charged past Valerie. Meanwhile Damun and Elliott reached out and grabbed Valerie's arms, pulling her up onto the beast.

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Wray lashed out at the shrubs in her way, kicking and ripping them out of her way. She continued, knowing that she was close to the Mainlanders' camp. Wray ripped a fern from it's roots and threw it at her feet before continuing on, her bare feet ached, she was bleeding in several spots, and she had managed to bruise her leg badly, her exhaustion radiated off of her and made the smaller creatures less cautious and more curious.

That's when she heard the voices, they belonged to a small group of men. The men were gathered near the edge of the forest in which Wray hid, the forest died into a huge, tall, golden grass filled field. In the middle of this field was a huge van, several dozen smaller vehicles were gathered nearby, a large fire burned smack dab in the middle, and the place was dotted with too many men to count, including a woman here and there.

The people dressed in grey and black velvety-looking uniforms which seemed to make them sweat, and everyone held a different kind of gun. Wray felt intimidated by all the loud weapons that could easily end her life in only a matter of seconds. She knew she had to stay sharp and fast if she wanted to evade those demonic devices but the pain in her bruised leg didn't let her forget that she was still injured.

Suddenly a familiar sound echoed through the field. Barking. A large Rottweiler emerged from a group of men, a black leash trailing after it. A woman yelled for help as she stumbled after the dog. The Rott darted through people's legs and was heading straight for....

Wray.

Wray had to think fast; she could climb a tree but she would be seen by the people but she couldn't outrun anyone with her leg either. Tree!! She decided silently and limped for a nearby oak, reaching for the lowest branch- which was too high. So long to THAT idea... Wray wasn't able to even blink before a weight crashed into her back, bringing her to her knees.

A deep snarling erupted from the Rott's lips as it pinned her down, it's claws digging into her skin.

For the first time in her life Wray was really, truly scared. Her pulse quickened and her mind raced, finally she let out a sound she had only done one other time.

She screamed.

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Damun spun around on Shania, the sound of a sharp, crackling scream echoed in his mind. He remembered hearing that sound only once before.

"Wray!?" He screeched, his heart beating just as fast as it had the first time he had heard that sound.

The scream ended, Shania already charging through the forest, shoving trees aside as she pushed on. Her anger bubbled in her chest just as it did in Danni's. Her anger blurred all other thoughts as her sensitive ears picked up on the sound of snarling.

A/N: Welp, I'm really proud of this story. So how do you like it so far? Who's your favorite character right now? Sorry it took awhile to update, I've just been drowning in school work.

But comment what you think! And be honest! If it sucks then tell me please! And if you like it then please tell me!