BRIELLE'S STOLEN FAMILIAR

DREAM ''LENA!'' I screamed and tried to reach for her as she cowarded in the corner of the room. If we could connect, I could use her power, and we'd escape, but one of the men grabbed a dagger and cut my hand off. ''AHHH!'' I screamed and fought again, as blood spewed out everywhere, and I felt myself pee in fear. ''Disgusting b*tch!'' One of the men said in disgust and punched me ''Hurry up and cut her f*cking Familiar off'' ''PLEASE STOP!'' I screamed and pleaded but nothing helped, the men had no hearts ''LENA!'' Lena tried to use her powers, but thanks to the drug they'd injected her with, she couldn't use her powers without connecting with me. One man started to chant a spell and all the symbols on my body began to glow and burn, as I cried out, and then I felt Lena being ripped from my soul. END OF DREAM I woke up screaming, like most mornings, and sat up in my bed holding my hand over my heart, that was nearly beating out of my chest, while my covers fell to my bare thighs. My entire body was covered in sweat and shaking slightly, but I stopped screaming and silence filled my small room, which left me feeling extremely alone. I longed for the days when my mother would rush in to comfort me after a nightmare, but I tried to forget the images from my dream. I hated remembering my past. It made me feel weak and broken. For a distraction, I looked around my small cabin room, which only held my bed, a chair, and a chest of drawers, and watched the dust flowing around in the air in the light coming in from the dirty window. I'd tell myself every morning, I would clean but never did, and tried to push away the memories of losing Lena, my nine-tail fox Familiar, but the ache from the severing of our connection still stung after all these years. I'd lost her 10 years ago when I was 13, and even after all these years, she was the last thing I thought about at night, and the first thing I thought about in the morning. I looked down at the massive scar around my wrist, where I'd reattached my arm with magic my mother had taught me growing up, but I couldn't get rid of the scar, so I often wore long sleeved shirts and dresses to hid the reminder. I yawned and ran my fingers through my thick black wavy hair to push it out of my face, before climbing out of the wooden bed, and pulling it into a pony tale. After making my bed, which took seconds as I only had a single blanket, I quickly dressed in pants and shirt, and wandered out into the woods to work out and do my fight training for the upcoming tournament, where I would finally start to get my revenge. I moved around a lot. Never staying in one area too long, because everywhere I went, the others would look down on me for not having a Familiar or simply pity me, and I hated seeing that expression on their faces. I also had a mission and I needed to go from village to village, in order to train with our best fighters. But I was back in the woods where I'd first found out about the tournament, and I was working harder than ever to hone my skills. If I didn't make it into the fights, all my years of training and sacrifice would be for nothing! I began with my usual warm up, running and endurance, but when I stumbled on a familiar spot in the woods, I paused, my old hut was still there, though it was caved in and there were a few creatures living among the branches. FLASH BACK I was traveling through the woods when I came across a large wounded Lycan with thick black fur, which indicated he was an Alpha, and I hesitated in fear. My parents had always warned me that Lycan Alpha were vicious if you weren't from their pack. My own father was a Lycan Alpha, so I knew this was true. He wasn't kind to outsider's. Lycan's also didn't like foxes, and even though I no longer had my fox Familiar, I still had some of her characteristics. The Lycan's leg was bleeding heavily, and his skull was cracked. As I paused by the tree line, he growled at me in warning, but then he sniffed the air and stopped growling. We stared at each other after that, me terrified, and him emotionless. ''Ma'' He started to say and then he passed out. I turned to leave him, but something deep inside told me it was wrong, so I gave an annoyed huff, and dropped my bag by a tree and got to work. I knew Lycan's had amazing healing abilities, so I chose to create a temporary shelter first. I built a small hut from tree branches and leaves, and I was actually quite proud of myself for my small makeshift hut. I then focused on gathering some water and food. I only managed to get some truffles, wild berries and three fish, which annoyingly took me four hours to catch. When I returned to the dome shelter, the Lycan was still out, so I built a fire and started cooking up my meager feast, and cleaned up the Lycan's injuries, and wrapped his skull, before going back ot the fire to finish the food. I guess the smell of the fish woke him, because the second it was done, a large handsome muscular man came walking out of the hut wearing the blanket I'd left him, around his waist. Once more, we stared at each other, but then I gave him a strained smile ''Are you hungry?'' The man ran his eyes over me, and seemed a little disappointed, but he nodded and sat down with his Lycan following after him, only he was now the size of a big cat. He came over and curled up at my feet, which shocked me. I guess he was grateful for my help. ''How old are you?'' He asked as I started putting the fish onto a large piece of bark I'd pulled off a tree. ''Most people start with names, not ages'' I pointed out, and passed him his portion of the food. ''Sorry'' He shook his head ''Zayden... Zayden Leger, future Alpha of Eclispe Pack. You?'' ''Brielle Feras'' I answered as he took a weary sniff of the food ''And I'm 17'' ''That explains it'' He nodded to himself, and finally took a bite. I guess he deemed it safe. ''Explains what?'' ''This is good'' He smiled, and completely ignored my question ''Thank you, and thank you for helping me. Most wouldn't'' ''I'm not most people'' I shrugged and started to eat. ''Where's your Familiar?'' Zayden asked, as he looked around the tree line ''Is she small? I can't see her'' ''No. She's not small'' I answered ''She's a nine-tail fox'' ''A nine tail'' He repeated, as he scanned the tree's again ''I've only ever heard of one nine tail, but she was taken and given to the King, he'' Zayden paused and looked back at me in horror ''You're one of the severed?'' ''I am'' I answered and took a large sip of water. ''I'm sorry'' He said gently, and I hated the pity in his face ''That's awful'' ''Just eat'' I snapped ''I don't need your pity'' ''I never meant... I wasn't pitying you'' He commented and started to eat. ''Why were you injured?'' I finally asked, when it became to hard not to. ''Oh'' He laughed, which shocked me ''I was practicing for the tournament, and I stumbled on two rogues. I killed them, and was heading home, but my Familiar Colt and I were too weak, and collapsed. It's my own fault really. My father warned me there were rogues in the area, but I stupidly left the safety of the pack'' ''Tournament?'' ''The one the King throws'' He told me, and I felt my blood boil at the mention of the b*stard ''You have to be 23 to join, but I'm only 21, so I have to wait 2 more years, and if I win, my father will finally give me the pack'' ''Why would your father deny you the pack unless you win?'' ''Because only the best fighters in the land enter the fight'' He told me ''So if you win then it means you're the best'' ''That's stupid'' ''Maybe to a non Lycan'' He shrugged, and brushed his thick black hair out of his eyes ''So, why are you alone? Where's your family? Are you running away or something?'' He added, as he looked at my duffle bag. ''I don't have a family. They're dead'' Zayden paused for a second, and stared at me. ''So this tournament'' I quickly changed subject ''Is the King there?'' ''Only for the final fight'' He answered ''And the winner gets to go to the ball after'' ''Really'' I said with interest. ''Yeah'' He smiled ''Apparently it's this massive party. I can't wait'' ''You have to win first'' I pointed out, as my mind raced. If I could win this fight, I could get close enough to kill him. ''You haven't seen me fight'' He said proudly and puffed out his chest ''I'll win'' ''If you say so'' I commented and continued to eat ''Do you know if there's a village around here?'' ''Yeah, back that way'' He gestured to the left with his chin and finished his meal ''Are you going to eat that?'' I smiled and took the bark from him, and filled it with the remaining remnants of our meal, before giving it back to him. ''You could come to my pack though'' He added ''If you want some place to live'' ''I thought Lycan's didn't allow outsiders'' ''You'll be allowed'' ''Why?'' I asked suspiciously ''Because they'll feel sorry for me?'' ''No. Of course not, they just... Never mind'' He said, which annoyed me, this weird boy was confusing. After we finished our meal, I told him, he should return to his pack. ''Right, yeah'' He said, though he seemed hesitant to go, but finally he went behind a tree, and held up the blanket for me to take, and then a large black Lycan walked out. His tail wagged and rubbed his head against my shoulder. ''Your welcome'' I said, assuming he was thanking me for the help, and then he ran off. I tossed a few more sticks on the fire, and crawled into the hut to sleep, and when I woke up in the morning, I found a large basket of fruit and vegetables, along with some clothing and even some gold. Lycan's did thank you's well. END FLASH BACK