Theia's POV

I crossed my arms as I leaned against a withered oak, sighing as a rumble shot through my stomach. "Soul mates…" I muttered with a small shake of my head.

Throughout the whole seventeen days since I'd found out about it… Tyler had been avoiding me. I would always be hated, I guess. It didn't stop it from hurting though. It felt longer than my whole seventeen years of life. I briefly wondered about Barlow, and what he'd be doing now. Would he be fighting to get back to the Nurse who had so much faith in him? A man who hadn't contacted her for 83 years?

Then, what about how I felt towards Tyler? He made me feel safe, secure, warm. He was the perfect gentleman. Thinking about him would get me nowhere, though, and I grimaced as I searched the forest floor for any signs of the plant I would need for class tomorrow. I needed a pink leaf… then a thick, bulbous root that was above the ground, and lastly, a blue spiked tomato sort of thing. Yes, this was going to take a while.

I frowned as I found the plant I'd been looking for. It had been trampled in a creature's haste, and fried to a crisp. This wasn't a good sign. Pocketing the list, as well as the small satchel that contained the other two plants; the pink leaf and the bulb root now.

Cautiously, I looked around and felt my limbs slacken. This was dangerous, and I was stupid enough to just grasp that fact. Well, at least no one had come with me. Edith had asked a few times, but I had said I would be fine. Oh, how wrong I was!

A sudden roar made my body dissolve into silver dust again, and I had to work to remember how to return to my intangible form. My True form glowed with energy and the soft glow that radiated off my skin bounced off the withered trunks of the trees around me. I looked around the immediate area, deeming it safe enough to continue further and further into the forest. There had been a distressed cry accompanying that inhuman roar and I was bent on finding out what had happened in that short space of time. The answer wasn't far.

I crouched in a thick bramble of vines and thorns, my eyes wide as they took in the torn up body of a dragon. It would have measured to my waist from the tail to the long and thin nuzzle. Blood was smeared all around the grass, as though the entrails had been dragged out and feasted upon, or taken somewhere to have a more private meal. I threatened to bring mine up at the sight of the mangled body. The icy blue scales would've been majestic and fluid like water had it not been teethed into and matted with glistening blood. Swallowing down the rising bile, I scanned the clearing in search of the predator that had done this gruesome thing and my gaze immediately fell on a small egg, about the size of my two hand spans put together. The swirling blue surface of the particular egg made my heart ache; another orphan, not yet born. Impulsively, I scampered out of the brambles and took it up in my arms, my heart in my throat as I looked around to find a means of escaping.

Of course, the beast had to come back then at that moment. The huge bulk of the Wilder beast was menacing as it stalked into the clearing. It snorted as it caught my scent and the blood and gore dripping from its huge bottom canines was terrifying. It smelt me, and now it was in for the hunt. The hunt that would, if successful, give it power and longevity of life that was unnatural for any species. I did the only thing I could at this point in time; run.

I broke through the trees before it could even scuff its front talon and I didn't stop, not even when I heard it in pursuit. The snorting and grunts of the beast prompted me to clutch the egg closer to my chest and bite back a scream that threatened to leave my numb lips. Its huge mass towered over mine as it gained on my frenzied pace and I was coming up to the ravine. I sucked in a deep breath mid stride and my limbs tingled with a burst of adrenaline, sending me flying over the huge crevice and further towards the mountain face. I heard the Wilder beast squeal in panic as, in its blind rush, it flew into the darkness and jagged rocks at the bottom of the natural death trap.

The rocks' surface was approaching fast and I had to brace my legs in mid-air for the impact. My feet barely caught a grip and my right hand shot out, grabbing a faulty purchase on the jagged surface. No… I screamed as it gave way and I tumbled, down the rock, my back tearing as the surface grated across my skin. It took away the back of my shirt and left ribbons of skin bleeding. My eyes closed as the journey was unheeded by any let ups and I held the egg closer, until I was more afraid it would break in my arms than I was of meeting the same end the Wilder beast had.

My body was released from the grating of the serrated mountain and I fell into a cave mouth, my body racking with sobs and screams of pain. Oh god! I was going to die, and it wouldn't be witnessed. My parents… I could see their gruesomely altered faces and mangled bodies already. Was I going to die like that? A wandering animal, carnivorous and scavenging; would they come and pick the meat off my weak bones? I was going to die, but instead of watching my parents die in the violent murderous intent of vengeful wolves, I was going to witness every moment of my own.

I crept away from the opening and further into the cavern, blood flowing for the time being down my tattered back. I was going to die.

'Good', the dark part of my twisted mind rejoiced.