I had no doubt that I could outrun these hunters and dogs since I was faster than my entire family, it was Father I was more afraid of. Oh, I was going to get an earful from Father. It was my idea to see the sunrise and I had pressured Accalia into coming. Tearing my gaze from the now close blood thirsting dogs and the accompanying hunters, I stared intently at Accalia willing her to shift quickly. With one last guttural howl, her feet and legs started evaporating first. Small, wet drops of water splashed onto the grass causing them to bend under the newly added weight. The rest of her body soon vaporized before her blonde head started falling away with her scared, worried eyes trained on me. The next second, the grass shifted slightly as she fled to the woods in her new form.

Now that Accalia was safe, I threw one last glance at the hunters and dogs gaining on me before my paws clawed into the soft soil and my trained legs propelled me North down the hill, towards Hollow Falls. The shouts from the hunter's and blood hound's snarls of frustration got louder when I had starting running and reached the bottom of the hill as they made it to the top.

The familiar motions of my muscular legs pumping me forwards, my back constricting and snapping back to full length with every stride and my luscious white fur whipping in the wind. It all caused a ripple of exhilaration to course through my body sending my heart soaring through the clouds as I nearly flew across the grass bustling underneath my form. Readying my body to leap over the creek separating the Charm Forest from the Avalin Valley, I took a few more bounds before I threw myself into the air to clear the creek. The jump only lasted a second before my paws landed with a small thud and I took off running again, pumping my legs faster and faster. Running was my favourite thing to do in my spare time and it made me feel so free and wild. Not to mention how fast I could run only escalated the feelings flying through me. I ran regularly to improve on my speed and stamina, which no one in my pack could match other than Seff who harmonized my pace on a good day. Compared to a normal wolf's speed of 50-60km/h running, a Charm wolf can sprint up to 80-90km/h which is close to the speed of a lion. I on the other hand can accelerate up to 105km/h on a straight landscape which is around the speed of a cheetah. The pack doesn't understand how my abilities were enhanced so greatly compared to theirs, as well as my strength that has been heightened significantly which plays a factor in my speed. Although Seff, Atticus and Father can still pin me down when we wrestle since I have not the natural talent to use my strength very well.

As soon as I hit the edge of the forest, barks of happiness howled from my mouth as the familiar scent of pine and shrubs attacked my senses. Slowing my pace, I maneuvered easily through the densely packed shrubs and vegetation. Gracefully leaping over a fallen trunk blocking my path, I quickly dodged an oncoming tree before getting whipped countless times in the face with bush branches and fern leaves overhanging in front of me as I ran. The pads of my feet absorbed the weight of my body as I pushed myself through the woods in the direction of Hollow Falls. My heart pounded loudly in my ears as I pulled them against my head, my chest about to explode with the amount of bliss and pleasure rushing through my wolf body. The dog's roars of displeasure and thumping of horse's hooves were gradually left behind as I easily outran the group. Even pants huffed out my mouth with each stride I took through the forest, not even tired in the slightest at the small exertion of energy used up. Weaving between the trees and brush, I felt the adrenaline adding to my excitement from the chase. Pleased with how easy and elating this was, I let out a small, disoriented chortle of laughter as the angry shouts of men finally died out.

A loud bang erupted from behind me. Pain exploded through my left hind leg as I felt the bitter sting of a bullet rip through the skin and spill a hot liquid over my fur. Like burning fire, pain seared up my leg causing my feet to tangle in a mess and send my body tumbling into a solid tree I failed to dodge. Dazed by the sudden turn of events and the fire licking its way around my wound, my vision blurred black before dogs barking became apparent and pulled me away from the alluring darkness. Exhilaration was replaced by terror as I struggled to push myself off the ground; rough bark scraping into my back as I used the tree as support. Thick trees and green bushes blocked my site from the hunter group as they followed me through the forest. Throwing out my senses to gain as much information of the where-abouts, all was silent in the forest other than rustling of plants and bushes as animals fled for cover.

For a small period of time, I stood hunched against the supportive tree, drowning in anguish as my leg pounded with a scorching flame consuming my limb. Shoots of pain laced up my leg, making me want to shriek out for my pack. Almost giving in, I threw my head into the air and blew out hot gusts of breath in place of the agony-filled cries I wanted to. Making any loud noise now would only confirm the hunters they were close on my trail. Dropping my head, a nearby leaf tickled my nose as I concentrated on keeping my howls in check.

Barely noticeable rumbles vibrated under my feet alerting me of the hunters still in pursuit that were keen on catching me, like a cat would a mouse. Sounds of the blood hounds howling was so faint in my ears I could barely hear the irritating noise. Either way, they were close enough to hear which was too close for me. Growling in annoyance, I once again pushed myself into a limping sprint; my leg searing as if tearing even more with every step. It felt as if the bullet were getting lodged deeper and deeper into the muscle and tissue will every stride, a flashing pain accompanying it.

The hunters must have been going on foot by now since their horses were too bulky to maneuver through the overgrown forest I ran through. It was those damn mutts following me that worried me because they could run faster than the hunters. Maybe even catch up since my leg now throbbed in agony and I could no longer keep up a decent pace.

How much I wanted to be back at the Den to lick my wound and be with Seff, Accalia, Atticus and Father. They could take care of me like they always have.

The thundering roar of a waterfall reached my ears after I trotted for a few more kilometers into the forest while almost dragging my leg. Ahead, I could see a slight mist hovering around the trees telling me I had nearly made it to Hollow Falls. I could see the light in the distance shining behind the mist that seemed so inviting. As I drew closer, the air became so thick with humidity I could taste it on my tongue. My heart threatened to burst out of my ribs as rasping heaves of breath blew past my mouth. My throat burned from being so parched. It felt as if sand had been dumped down my throat and was now clogging it, making it hard to breathe. I felt my tongue roll out of my mouth as I slowed to walk, the barks of dogs long gone behind me. It was about bloody time they lost me. They had no scent to follow and were only going by the tracks that sometimes appeared in the softest soil. My tracks must have been the only thing to lead the hunters on if they were still trying to track me.

My leg seemed to pulse from pain to my heartbeat. Not only had it probably ripped more from running on it, but dirt was imbedded into the pink flesh and I could feel my leg sopping wet with blood. Limping more prominently now that some adrenaline has washed away, it was replaced by anger as I felt the wound still pouring with blood that stained the fur around my injury. I could have easily gotten away if it weren't for the hunter that shot me. They'd have no chance of finding me.

Finally, I pulled myself through the mist that clouded the trees surrounding the waterfall. A wave of relief and familiarity washed through me at the site of the gushing water tumbling off the small cliff above into the depths below. Fresh air poured into my lungs as I took gulping breaths. Cat tails littered and flowers bloomed around the lagoon, bumblebees swarming the pollen hidden inside the delicate flowers only they could reach. Small birds spiraled and looped around the area, happily chirping without a care in the world as they chased each other. Small squirrels and wild rabbits lined up on a small bank, drinking away their thirst that still grated my throat. Seeing prey so close reminded me of my empty stomach grumbling disapprovingly at me since I was not with my pack to go hunting this morning.

Absentmindedly, my tongue ran over my chops urging me to drink the cool, sparkling clear water calling to me a few meters away. Limping towards the inviting liquid, minnows scattered as I dipped my head down to the surface and gingerly lapped at the water. The water trickled down my throat, quenching my thirst thoroughly as I continued to drink from the lagoon. Small splashing sounds met my ears each time my tongue connected with the water. My throat relished in its frigid temperature due to my overheating body. My muscles burned in fatigue as I slowly relaxed my heavy breathing and racing heart. Lifting my head from the quenching liquid, I ever so slowly hobbled along the bank, knowing I'd find a dark, shallow cave just behind the pounding water of the waterfall.

A snarl angrily ripped through my throat as a sharp sting of pain shot through my leg constantly reminding me of the hunters still trying to find me and what they did. Peering at the tempting grass surrounding the lagoon water, I pictured myself basking beside it. Clean up my gruesome looking leg up a bit. Shaking my head, I tried to clear the thoughts I may not ever be able follow through with. Another flare of pain wrenching up my leg filled my thoughts with hatred for the hunters. Those conceited beings, having no respect for anything other than themselves and the stupid goal of slaughtering our kind. I dreamed of sinking my teeth into their damned necks and feeling the life drain out of their systems. I wanted to rip apart their body's limb from limb and burn them in the hottest flames for what they did. They didn't deserve to live. Not after hunting us for years. Not after shooting me. Not after causing our pack so much stress and fear.

Not after what they did to...

Accalia had made me painstakingly remember the terrible day when our pack had found mother skinned and impaled on a pike just outside of the Charmed Forest. The stench that radiated from her body was nauseating, like the sight wasn't enough. How they didn't care to clean her once beautiful body free of the blood that had dried and other stab wounds that still leaked with blood; perfectly explaining how they treated her. Her eyes had been gouged out of her head leaving two bloodily hollow pits staring endlessly at the sky, empty of their once love filled, caring light brown eyes that gleamed with happiness whenever she was around our pack.

They had no right to destine one to such a fate, let alone someone who helped protect Avalin Valley from the dangerous animals in the forest that surrounded their home. How that very wolf they killed saved two children's lives that had wandered into the forest out of their parents sight and into that of a cougar's. Mother had risked her life to save those children, but no one would ever know because she fled once the children had safely made it back to the large village. Only those children would know. Yet they might have been too young to even remember the deed Mother had done for them.

The humans don't appreciate us, don't know what we do for them... don't know we exist. They only here about the sightings from the hunters of bloodlust wolves scouting around Avalin Valley waiting for a child to step too far off the land.

We have hid our presence from the humans as long as our pack has lived here, years before I was even a thought in my human parent's eyes. They still do not know we protect their home, but the hunters do. Yet they choose to try and kill us. Hunters not only capture us for our luxurious, thick pelts, but also think if they kill us they will gain our abilities. Not only do hunters track and slaughter Charm Wolves, but normal wolves too. The only special thing about our pelts is they are thicker and have better quality fur than normal wolf pelts.

The humans in Avalin don't even know heartless hunters have habitated part of their home. To them, the hunters are just another group of people to join their very large community. The hunters who live in Avalin had come from another place far, far from here that the last pack of Charm Wolves lived in. The pack that mother had come from and converted Father to a Charm wolf while being pregnant with Atticus. The hunters were able to track them to this new land and begin their living of killing the Charm Wolves all over again. How they were able to track Mother and Father is beyond our knowledge. It doesn't make sense since Charm wolves are able to hide their scent and shift into mist.

The hunters have the most knowledge of us, are the only ones to know of our existence. They know Charm Wolves can shift into mist and hide our scents...

But they don't know about half breed Charm wolves like myself that can shift into a human.

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