Chapter One

"Run"

That's the only word I have to say to make him bolt off across the damp forest floor. The birds stop chirping to listen to the foreign noise of footsteps. I can see the ebony-haired head bobbing. Just because I'm a nice person, I give him a minute's head start. So, waiting for his minute to be up, I inspect my recently manicured nails. They're all black except for a few droplets of red that I'm not sure of. I wonder if it's blood or actual nail polish. Finally reaching sixty seconds, I leisurely jog off, following Ethan's fresh footprints. Circling around to his front, I stop directly in front of him to cut him off.

"Alright, now I'm bored. We're done with this." I say, smirking to myself all the while.

"NO! Please, just one more try, Sage? I'll win this time, I promise." I think it's hysterical how pale he gets when I talk to him.

"Fine, but this is just for giggles. Ready, go." Again, I give him a head start, just so he won't get upset. In my head, I think, God, he's hot. He shoots off like a rocket, knowing this counts for a grade if he doesn't make it to the checkpoint before I do. But, as always, I'm ahead. Well, at least I WAS, until Will had to jump in.

"Hey, Sage, Ms. Silvet wanted me to help Ethan." Oh, crap. I'm dead because Will is a heck of a runner. The up side to this is that I'm slightly faster and lighter, so I will be able to climb up a tree and jump from limb to limb.

"Oh, alright. But I'm going to beat you guys you know."

"Whatever, Sage, you said that last time and you froze up. Again."

I finally got sick of his ranting so I bolted off into the forest, towards my goal. The gleaming paper was only fifty yards away when I smelled it. Wet dog. The only person I knew that was in the forest that could smell like that was…Will. Yes, if you think about it a little and check up on your myths, you would find that Will is a werewolf. Being what I am, that is my natural enemy, so I start to sprint. Just as I reach my arm out to grab the softly shimmering paper, something furry tackled me. Cursing inwardly, I grab the nearest weapon which turns out to be my dropped dagger. What a stroke of luck. Jumping up, I see clearly now that Will has shifted back because Ethan has the paper clutched in his hand and is sprinting as fast as he possibly can. Holding my dagger with the blade against my forearm, I run as fast as I can towards Ethan and my goal, the glimmering paper. Leaping in front of him, I pull up my dagger.

"Ethan, if you don't hand over that paper", I snarl, "I will drain you of blood, right after I cut you to ribbons. So, what's your choice?"

"I pick…Will!" and just at that moment, Will the wolf jumps on my back.