The Warrior Princess

Chapter One - The Dark Nightmare

"Mom! Dad! NOOO!" I screamed in terror as I heard my parents' howls of terror and pain though the sounds of battle. Suddenly they were cut off. I could no longer hear my parents. I could no longer sense them. That's when I knew it. They were gone. They were dead. I was alone. I had nobody to take care of me. I sat there for a minute, letting it sink in. I thought, maybe, if I pretend I didn't just hear what I know I just heard, maybe they will come back. It would be another wolf whose cries were cut off like that. My parents would still be alive. But it was no use. They were not coming back. They were gone. And there was no bringing them back. And it was all my fault.

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I bolted awake, covered in sweat. I glanced around the room, panicking, my senses still somewhat rattled. I frantically looked around the room I was in, taking in my surroundings. Where am I? I thought to myself. I didn't recognize anything at first. Then it suddenly hit me. I was in a room. My room. I was back in the den, where we lived when I was a cub. I was with Chaz, my older brother. Okay, he's not really my brother, but I think of him as my brother. He is a good friend of mine, even if he is six years older than me. He has been the one taking care of me since my parents died. Since he was on such good standings with my parents, and the rest of the pack, for that matter, he was given the role of filling in as the pack's Alpha until I came of age, and watching over me until that time came. At this rate, though, I'm not sure I want to take over as alpha. I'm not sure if I could handle it. All the responsibilities, having everyone look up to me, being the center of attention... I wouldn't be able to handle it... I have been quite reserved since my parents died. I never really spoke to anyone. They all just kept staring at me with that sympathetic look of pity in their eyes... I can't stand it. And not only that, but I'm sure they don't want someone who has constant crippling nightmares and flashbacks running the pack. The dream I just woke up from, for instance. I have been having that dream every night for almost a year. In just about four months, I will be 18. Old enough to take over as the Alpha Wolf. But every night since my 17th birthday, I have been having that nightmare. I'm not sure if I can trust myself with my current responsibilities, let alone getting more and being responsible for the entire pack. I'd rather just let Chaz handle all that stuff.He is such a great leader. A great older brother, too. He's so good at everything. And I... well... I can't even handle the life I have now as it is.

"Mid? Is that you?" I hear Chaz call from downstairs. His wolf name is Ice Storm, but I like to call him by his human name. It has a nicer ring to it. They call him Ice Storm because of his all white fur and piercing blue eyes. He is genuinely a nice guy, but if you try to hurt him or anyone he cares about, (i.e., me), he will tear you to pieces in a heartbeat. Family means everything to him, And since I'm his little sister, he does everything he can to protect me. He keeps saying how he can;t wait to see the day that I take over as Alpha. I head out of my room and start heading down the stairs when I trip over the rug and almost slide halfway down the stairs. I look around to make sure Chaz didn't see. I get up and continue on as if nothing happened. I roll my eyes as I reach the bottom of the stairs, remembering all the jokes he would make about how my klutziness was gonna get me into trouble someday. But I think that what could get me into more trouble is the nightmares and the flashbacks. I cannot be a leader when my mind is still this messed up. I sighed and looked up and saw Chaz smiling back at me, and I suddenly realized what I had to do. I had to leave. I had to save the pack. I had to leave. Tonight.