Fire and Ice || M. Tate-Hale (1)

Prologue

TW: g/ns and bl00d

It was too loud. The blaring music sounded like thunder to Willow's ears. Her dad was driving, singing along to the punk rock music. Her mother turned and smiled at her, dirt brown eyes staring into hers. Willow had always been told she looked like her mother, but she had her fathers green eyes. Her mothers smile faded when she noticed Willow's hands over her ears. She promptly leaned forward and switched off the radio.

Her dad stopped singing abruptly and frowned at her mom. "Why'd you do that?" She shook her head. "How many times do I have to tell you Willow has a sensitivity to sound?!" His eyes darkened. "Don't raise your tone at me", he threatened. She glared back. "Don't tell me what to do. You know she's a Born. Her senses are more efficient than yours." His eyes flashed yellow.

He stomped on the brakes, slowing them to a stop. "Now you listen here. No one is gonna find out about her. I thought we agreed she was a witch and nothing more." Her mom scoffed. "Right....a witch with better hearing than her father, who's actually a wolf. She's still young. We don't know if she got the gene or not", she stated plainly. "She didn't get the gene. Your witch genes would've overpowered my wolf genes. Don't forget, I'm a Bitten. Not a Born. So my genes are weaker than yours."

Willow snapped back as an arrow shot through the window, shattering it, lodging itself in her fathers arm. He shouted as more arrows began to fly. "Hunters!" He yelled, and flung open his door. He jumped out of the car and ran to Willows and her mothers side. He ripped open Willows door first, then proceeded to her mother. Willows mother pushed her down as another arrow flew and just barely nicked Willows face.

Willows mom uttered a few quick words as she cast a spell in front of her. The arrows began deflecting off and snapping in half. The shield quickly began deteriorating, due to Willow's mom's hiatus from magic. She panted under the weight of her magic. "RUN WILLOW!" She yelled, as Willows dad charged into the woods, fully shifted. Willow froze. She didn't know what to do. "GO! NOW!" Willows mom fell as her knees buckled. She collapsed, unmoving.

Willow stared silently, still on the ground. The type of magic her coven had used extracted a heavy price. That was the reason she'd fled in the first place, not wanting that life for Willow. Willows throat constricted and she became all too aware of the tingling in her hands and face. She coughed abruptly, making strangled gasping noises as she clutched her chest.

She felt a sharp pain in her hands in horror, as they were beginning to elongate. She could feel something, like an invisible rubber band, pulling, from the inside of her hands. It coiled, tighter and tighter, until it snapped. Willow screamed, she just wanted it all to stop. An arrow stopped, inches away from her face. Willow slowly uncovered her eyes, watching cautiously as it hovered in the air, much too close for comfort.

A shout snapped her out of her entrancement. She ran across the road to hide behind a large tree as the arrow fell to the ground. Hunters came out of the woods, crossbows and guns raised. "Where's the kid?!" The leader shouted. He was an older man, a gray stubble beginning to form on his chin. He was Caucasian, and had blue eyes. He had to be at least 5'10, with a lean build. He looked weary but alert.

Another man stepped forward. "Listen Argent, maybe we uh, call it quits. She's like what, 9?", 12, Willow thought. "And last we heard, no magic. She won't make it on her own." The first man contemplated. Seemingly come to a decision, his shoulders slumped as he sighed in defeat. "Yeah. Just tell Celeste she got shot." With that, they turned and returned to the woods.

As soon as she was certain they were gone, Willow ran to look for her father. She passed her mother's body, barely suppressing a shudder. Blood ran from her eyes and nose. Willow forced herself to continue as she walked into the woods. She stopped abruptly, leaning up against a tree to hold her stomach as she felt bile rise up in her threat. She could smell something putrid.

She panted quietly against the waves of nausea, then stood up, determined to find her father. She swallowed her disgust and turned from the tree to continue. She walked for a couple more minutes, as the woods seemed endless. When dusk began to fall, she finally gave up, and fell to her knees as sobs began to rack her chest. It heaved greatly, and the sounds felt as is someone was clawing their way into her chest.

She buried her head in her arms, as she tried to calm herself enough to determine what to do. She sniffed one last time, then her head snapped up as she heard leaves crunching near her. Subconsciously, she crouched into an animalistic position, as her hands elongated once again and a deep growl escaped from the back of her throat. Her dress was all torn from the trees and arrows, but she figured she could still make a run for it if possible. Her eyes shifted a bright shade of violet as she prepared to flight to fight.

The footsteps rounded the corner as she pounced at the unknown person, snarling, teeth bared. She knocked the person down, and immediately recoiled on instinct. The person sat up, red eyes glaring into hers. The eyes suddenly turned upwards in confusion at her eyes. "Purple? Well that's a new one." She looked at Willow, taking her in. Torn dress, violet eyes, and waves of confusion and fear coming in under her "fierce" facade.

"Say, what's your name?", she inquired. Willow did not answer, instead turning heel and running. She found herself gradually shifting to running on four legs. She felt the wind rushing in her ears as suddenly smells were sharper, and her eyesight clearer. She felt...good. So good in fact, she could laugh if she wasn't in wolf form. She ran and ran, not stopping til she reached a ledge, almost tripping over herself as she skidded to a stop. She stared at the sky as she stayed perched on the ledge. It was a full moon.

A howl ripped itself from her throat. And it was a mournful howl. She had lost everything. Her parents, her life, and she had nowhere to go. She was just a scared little girl on the run.

She was completely, and suddenly, on her own.

A/N: first chapter done! Please tell me if you like it so far! Don't forget to comment and vote! Stay tuned for the next chapter! Bye!