A/N: I'm sorry it skips around but I can't quite make myself focus on on person for too long... Please enjoy.

XWarningX: In later chapters there is the danger of nearly detailed violence and bloodshed.

Introduction

The sky was dark the half moon slowly rising casting thick shadows that seemed to move with the wind on the high grass of a deep valley surrounded by steep hills covered in dense woods. Icy blue eyes slowly opened as triangular silver ears perked forward. A large pale grey and silver wolf lifted his head looking toward the east where a faint murmur echoed from afar. As he glanced at the sleeping forms of his small pack, he uncurled the rest of his agile body and silently stood his eyes once again trained on the distant murmur. He was about to move off when the rustle of the nearest wolf stirring stopped him. He glanced at the sleek black female briefly before padding quietly away.

As he neared the tree line the murmur grew slightly more coherent, it was less frantic than it'd been for years but somehow conveyed a greater sense of urgency. He quickened his pace through the trees to a ground-eating trot. As he progressed, the woods grew into a forest and tree roots became a minor irritation that he easily worked around his pace the same. By the time the moon had risen to it's zenith he'd cleared the vast expanse of the so-called Haunted Forest that hid many nearly extinct creatures. He paused at the edge of the forest that had been home for many years, before him stretched grassy rolling hills with sparse patches of stunted trees here and there, while in some places the grass was so tall as to reach a full-grown man's waist.

The open plains seemed to be brilliantly lit to the wolf that was used to the dimness of the forest and felt horribly exposed. He steeled himself and took the first step from his home the air seeming to still as even the night creatures hushed, the quiet lasted but a second and then he was trotting quickly towards the murmur and away from the forest, his silver fur shining even in the dim light. He couldn't help but feel a sense of cautious joy and quickened his pace to a loping run.

xXx

A slight seventeen-year-old slowly woke languidly stretching for a moment as his rich green eyes groggily looked about the room. Diffuse light filtered through the thin curtains pulled across the windows giving him only enough light to see by. His long golden brown hair spread across his pillow and hung over the side of the bed and for a moment one scarred finger toyed with the soft strands, his gaze catching on the scars however soon made him turn onto his back to look at his hands better. He held them above him palms facing down, studying the almost foreign appendages. Both palms were riddled with multiple slice scars and burns and even the back of his hand held some form of scarring he noticed as he turned one over to check. After a long while, his gaze moved to his forearms and the many different scars marring the lightly tanned skin there. His stomach churned as he studied his gruesome scars.

He flung the covers off and pushed himself up gazing down at his bare chest tracing the scars there with his eyes and fingertips. He studied the largest scar he could see, a pale cream burn that spread across the left side of his chest and curled up toward his neck and over his shoulder out of his range of view. He sighed softly stretching some more before sliding to his feet and moving to the window. He drew the curtains aside and let the bright morning sun warm him through the glass. Rich green eyes were forced open once more as he turned his head to study the large tidy room. The large four-poster bed sat against the front part of the room closest to the carved cherry-wood door, a large pine bookcase stood proudly near the windows next to a small table and chair. The bookcase held few books and many animal statues, some made from wood, some from clay and very few made of marble or jade. Dust coated each shelf liberally. The teenager's gaze lingered briefly on the shelves, before sweeping to the tall wardrobe standing at the far wall a table with a pitcher and basin on it nearby.

He moved to the wardrobe and eased the door open staring at the flamboyant clothes within. "Oh good god…" He muttered in revulsion as he looked through them. "Seems like she took some liberties…" He glared at the flamboyant clothing before finally finding a plain cotton shirt long sleeved and v-necked, he also found a pair of worn pants and draping both articles over his arm, he moved to his bed placing them there to look for some shoes. After thoroughly searching the wardrobe, all he found was silk slippers in various colors. He huffed angrily pushing his hair out of his face again. He felt ready to tear his own hair out when a knock on the door drew his attention.

His sharp gaze shot to the door even as he froze. He had to fight the urge to hide as the doorknob twisted and the door eased open. Because of the angle, he couldn't see who was there as they surveyed his unmade bed; the comforting thought that they also couldn't see him soothed him but a moment. "Boy…" He tensed as the guard's rough voice spoke out. "Sir?" He obediently replied causing the door to open the rest of the way exposing the short gruff looking man standing in the doorway. His narrowed brown eyes bored into the teenager's as thick brows drew together, "What are ye doing?" He smiled timidly, "Looking for shoes?" was his meek reply. The man seemed a little surprised at even getting an answer, which showed when he tensed his gaze frozen to the boy's face for a moment. "I brought yeh breakfast…" He finally said moving into the room wiggling the unnoticed tray in his hand.

The teenager nodded, "Thank you Sir..." He watched while the man set the tray on his table fidgeting slightly, "Is Mrs. Vrendow not coming today?" The man finished removing the items from the tray and tucked it under his arm before turning to answer. "She has a couple things ta do before she does, be no later than noon." He quickly strode from the room the door clicking shut behind him. He stared after him sadly for a moment. "Yea, I guess I am a terror…" He ignored the food silently dressing while his gaze strayed to the bookcase.

XxX

The large silver wolf had covered many miles by the time late morning came around stopping only once to relieve himself and rest. The area had slowly become more inhabited as he went but he'd continued his straight course until now. He stood in one of the sparse clumps of trees that surrounded the large town like village before him. The streets were paved with bricks and very few of the houses were made of wood of lesser than two stories high. A low stone wall surrounded the whole town but was barely three feet high so wasn't really a hindrance. What was an obstacle were the armed guards that stood at intervals in the low wall with vicious looking animals at their sides.

He felt the atmosphere was vaguely familiar but pushed that thought aside as he figured out how to get by without being noticed. The wind slowly shifted causing one the smaller animals, a large bobcat suddenly growled, her tufted ears perked forward. The uncertain man beside her lifted his spear and surveyed the area before them. Along the wall the guards snapped alert as well as the animals, some sniffing the air while others hopped to the outside of the wall. The wolf huffed in annoyance his cover half blown.

Deciding on the easy way he darted forward appearing only as a large silvery blur to most and leapt over the wall. He heard the angry cry of the bobcat and knew that at least she was after him. He weaved through startled people their own animals crying out in anger or alarm. He was soon at the other side of town and found the wall on this side was much taller. He growled and glanced around finding the wooden door in the wall easily. Fortunately someone had left it open and he darted up the steep steps just inside soon reaching the top. As he burst through the half-closed door on top of the thick wall men turned to look at him startled. Most of the animals up here were birds but that didn't make them any less dangerous.

For a moment, no one moved as the wolf edged toward the other side of the wall. One of the air born eagles suddenly screeched and dove at him, he let out a growling bark and snapped in warning at the creature as it pulled up just short of him, continuing toward the parapet he kept a wary eye on the circling birds as well as their men. At that moment, a fierce rumbling growl echoed up the stairway followed by the clicking of claws as the bobcat followed the eagle's battle cry. Just as the bobcat appeared at the door and the eagle made another dive at him the wolf leapt over the parapet.

xXx

The boy sat despondently on his windowsill, gazing out the sealed glass longingly. The sun was slowly climbing to its peak and Vrendow still had yet to come by. He closed his eyes and popped them right back open in shock. In the brief instant that his eyes had been closed he felt a stabbing pain shoot from his right palm up his arm and into his shoulder while another pain had lanced through his side, he nearly fell off the windowsill in shock while the pain slowly throbbed away to a distant discomfort. He gasped in surprise when a soft knock echoed in the nearly silent room.

"Obedience? It's Vrendow, may I come in?" He slid from his seat and silently moved to the door pulling it open. Relief flooded his face as he took in her startled features and still slightly raised hand. "I need a horse." He gasped.

Thank ya!