The Forgotten

Chapter 1

The rain beat down outside, the long moss-covered vines layer the entrance hiding their home well from prying eyes but the noise created from the water pouring off the leaves echoed through the cave like thunder. The weather was unseasonably wet with mud shifting around the mountains which would freeze by morning from the blistering cold. Their roaring fire that was centred just below a small hole in the ceiling. It helped little despite being lit nearly all day. Thick brown roots that were the size of trees themselves tore the cave roof apart that made the roots look like figures that were going to pull him from the cave.

Rendall sat next to the fire, a deer hide wrapped around himself. Helping little, he sat shivering, trying to remember the feeling of the sunshine on his skin. He took off his worn leather gloves, fraying at the edges and covered in small holes from the years of use although they seem to now fit him better than they did when he found himself here. Rarely thinking of the past or how he had changed since his parents had died. Recalling no specific date it was at least three winters had passed since the horror of that day making him seventeen. If his general size wasn't a sign of his growth, the small brown hairs growing on his chin were undoubtedly indications that he had matured.

"A long time, maybe I have gone mad and not realised yet," he whispered to himself.

He glanced back down at his hands that had turned a mix of grey and blue due to a lack of blood flow that made it seem as if none left in his body. Having no feeling in them and barely able to clench a fist and so placing them only inches away from the fire in hope to bring back some life into them.

After a few moments, he began to feel the heat burn through his hands as he stared at the entrance of the cave. As if on cue Celer entered, the great white wolf herself. She had got large over the years that had passed since he found her left to die by her pack. Standing on all fours, the wolf was the height of an eight-year-old child and if on her hind legs would easily stretch to nine feet. Great paw prints were left as she walked about the cave easily the size of blacksmiths yet it was her magnificent legs of well-defined muscle that caught the eye. Their power and speed she could run on them with would cause any foe to think hard before challenging her.

Walking around the cave her pointed ears twitched as the rustling of wildlife could be heard from outside. The thought of a chase sent waves of excitement through her. Rendall looked at Celer, locking gazes he saw the same silver eyes that he had. They would often catch the glow of night, particularly in the darkness it would be unnerving to many folk. Celer was a predator, her strength impossible to ignore, though Rendall was lucky to call this one his family. Wolves were something of a legend, No one had ever seen one and lived, at least not that he had known yet for all their power many stories would claim centuries before they were often hunted by large raiding parties to claim as a trophy.

When Rendall had found her those years ago huddled under a brush seemingly left to die, he hadn't known what to do at the time as wolves were something of a legend. He was always told to stay away from the beasts, even cubs, as they were born hunters to anything moving. Not killing the wolf cub he found but nurturing it, not taming the beast but becoming her friend, a friendship now that was unbreakable. They shared everything, food, water and even who's turn it was to hunt. Hunting was difficult for her as no one could teach her how to do it though would still enjoy the chase and when she did catch something would often let it go again. She had developed an interesting tactic that Rendall used and was usually better at it than her. Being able to run long distances at a steady pace that many animals could not, their prey would often give up panting on the floor.

Though capable of taking down animals in the woods they would only take what they needed, not more. Celer would kill when she was hungry and often when she returned her entirely white fur would be tainted with blood around her mouth, making her look feral. Seeing the wolf return on the first few hunts made Rendall run in fear initially not realising she had just eaten prior. Rendall, not interested in meat would graze throughout the day mostly living off nuts, berries and plants found in the woods. The resulting effect on his body meant he had a lean muscular figure, able to tackle the trials that were put in front of him.