and the stars in their orbits shone pale through the lightof the brighter, colder moon

The smell of ash burned her sensitive nose and the sounds of shouting and fighting grew closer. The small child gripped tightly to her mother in fear as the home around them seemed to crumble as they fled, her brother at their mom's heel. The sting of the windy night's cold cleared her nose suddenly. Her mother pried her fingers off and set her down next to the young boy, her tone as she spoke to him trying to fight back fear. "Run as fast as you can to the eastern pack." Her mother took his hand and placed the little's girls in it. "And don't let go, Aiden, don't ever let go." Her mother's eyes swam with fought back tears as she caressed the side of her brother's face before kissing her forehead. And then she was gone and the colors of the night and forest swam around her as her brother pulled her in the direction of safety at a bolting run that she had trouble keeping up. She didn't know what happened next, perhaps her crying had done it, alerted them to their escape. They were tossed to the ground by something or someone. The shadows of the night hide everything so well. Her brother still held fast to her hand but in an instant he was off his feet, hauled by a capture. His shouts were indiscernible, mixing with her cries as she tried to hold on to him. She herself was whisked up from behind but yanked in the opposite direction, her hand slipping from her brother's, and everything went black.



Nadya woke with a start from the vivid dream. No, a memory. The face of the young boy as he shouted, his wide eyes and fear, it haunted her. She had only recently started having the same dream, each time a bit more vivid. When she was 18 the couple who had raised her had told her she was adopted and where she had actually come from. It was then that the dreams had started, as if it had been waiting for the right moment. At first they were mostly just a swirl of color and noise. Nadya had been young, only barely 5 when her family's pack had been killed. A few from the eastern pack had come to help, but not in enough time. They had been able to rescue her and took her in, raising her as their own so as to hide her true identity, lest the ones who destroyed her family find her. At first Nadya had held out hope that she hadn't been the only one to survive, that others had gone underground so to speak like she had. That was three years ago. She hadn't really given up but she no longer questioned that she was the last of her bloodline, and now all she had of her family were the images in her dreams. Now, after turning 21 Nadya has left her adoptive pack in a walkabout of sorts. She had never gotten to travel or seen anything beyond the forest and small town she had grown up in. It wasn't easy being on her own but she supposed it was easier as a were than if she had been a human since she could at least hunt instead of requiring money to get food.



The young girl sat up from her makeshift bed, blinking into the dimly lit space as she had to recollect on where she was. The air was musky, smelling of damp wood and mold. She had arrived in this town called Sacrosanct late the night before and this had been the first building she had come across that was uninhabited. There were remnants of clutter that indicated someone had sought refuge there as well but had moved on. Nadya planned on doing just that today, scouting the city for something more suitable. She stretched out lazily, feeling her body snap crackle pop as she did so. She grabbed her light backpack and rummaged through for a black and white polka dot summer dress, hastily dressing and slipping on her converse shoes before leaving from the building.



Outside was beautiful, the sun still low indicating early morning, the light morning fog from the bay still clinging to the horizon. The gentle breeze brought a waft of the weekend vendors setting up their carts down main street and it made Nadya's stomach churn in hunger. Though the building she had slept in had been uninhabited, it had obviously been close to civilization. She followed the smell of the food around the corner where the street had been blocked off to cars, allowing only foot traffic. It was still early so the crowd of patrons that wandered between the vendors was still thin and easily navigated. However, it also meant it was harder to snitch some food; the vendors weren't so preoccupied with overwhelming numbers to notice her. Their eyes followed her when she would approach a table, pleasant in their greetings and asking if she was looking for anything in particular. Nadya came to a vendor which seems to have a couple people milling around. "Hello dear, anything I can help you with?" The man smiled at her as she eyed the apples. She was about to say no but someone on the other side of the booth called to him with a question. She took advantage of his back turned and slipped an apple and a small loaf of bread into her backpack then made a retreat. When no shouts followed her Nadya knew it was safe. She found a shaded area at the end of the block and perched on the raised cement tree bed, setting her backpack down next to her. It was going to be a good day from the looks of it. Nadya broke off a piece of bread and nibbled at it as she watched the farmer's market crowd.