The Ash Princess.

Chapter 1: The Hunt.

The rainfall of the night was heavy and harsh as it fell on the black leather of my cloak, I was crouched in a bush overlooking a clearing where a single white stag stood eating the flowers and grass around it. I smiled as the rain clashed against my the sharpened edge of my drawn arrow, it's tip pointed towards the animals heart. My ears twitched as the soft sound of wolf paws slowly stepping on the dirt next to me, it was looking to my prize as its dinner. I kept my aim steady and waited till the alpha of the pack lept out, I let the arrow fly it hit its target with ease causing the wolf to jump over the stag and hit the muddy floor with a thud. I rushed to the stag while drawing another arrow, the alpha which I now noticed was quite large lifted itself off the ground and turned growling. Our eyes locked as I aimed at him, he kept his teeth bared. Our eyes never left the locked contact and the other wolves stayed back as they knew this was their leaders choice to make, he didn't hide his teeth as he stepped back a paw before charging at me I ducked and let the second arrow loose it was no where near its target. I quickly dropped my bow onto the body of the dead stag and drew the dagger that had laid dormant on my belt and turned to face him, he barked at the pack when the one that was next to me stepped forward a few feet, it stood dead still all of them did.
"This is my kill and my trophy! You know the rules!" I yelled at the large wolf, he growled in response. I bit my lip as he began to circle me slowly getting closer with each step, my eyes blurred as I threw myself forward and stabbed at him, a yip and yelp was all there was left out if him as I pinned him to the ground with the blade buried in his neck. He was still alive but held in a position where he couldn't move, my left hand pushing his muzzle to the ground with the other keeping the knife in him I was sitting on his side keeping my weight focused.

I walked out of the rain into the shack outside of my home, I was carrying the stags body on my shoulder and the alpha's sleeping body in my arms. I laid the wolf out on the cutting table before hanging up the trophy from my hunt.
"Where'd you find these?" My father's voice was rough but calm, he stood in the doorway of the shack.
"I found them in the clearing, the stag just eating so it died peacefully but the wolf, which is the alpha of a rather nasty pack of beast, challenged me to a fight after I stopped it from taking the kill of my stag!" I said glaring down at the wolves barely alive body.
"He'd make a good guard dog if we trained him correctly." He said walking up to the beast, I shook my head and stepped away from the table and walked to the hanging animal
"You heal him then, I have a stag to work on." I said before cutting it open causing it's guts to fall out, I smiled slightly as I began my long night if skinning and preparing the carcass for dinner.

I sighed as the rays of sunlight touched the skin of my eyelids, my brother walked into my small room, he was staring at the wolf who laid at my feet. Dad managed to calm it and tame it while I was working, that was his 'gift' able to tame animals with simplicity. It moved it's head to lay against my thigh, I pet it's head slowly and sighed. My brother walked up and moved to pet it, I caught his hand and gripped it tightly.
"He doesn't like being petted by anyone other then me, he is my pet and only mine." I said staring into his terrified eyes, the wolf huffed at him causing a slight jump.
"Stop scaring your brother." Mother said walking in with my new cloak, I grabbed it quickly and giggled with glee. It was perfect, thick and durable yet light and maneuverable, the antlers were on the hood as wanted it's white fur would blend nicely with the snow of the winter. "Also Minerva, the elders want to see you as soon as possible." She said before walking out with my brother in her arms. I wondered why as I sat up and got fully dressed instead of being a slob and wearing the basic cloth clothing I wore for sleeping.