Nymeria

 Three days had passed, and still no sign of Father. He had gone out on a hunting trip and hadn't come back. Normally I come with him, but it was blizzard season and he told me to stay home with my little sister, Selene. She was now curled up next to me, snuggling into my fur to escape the cold outside. Our rocky den was in the middle of a pine forest, where we would be safest against the extremely cold weather. It was snowing now, the trees bwnding bending and swaying in the wind. I tugged my cloak tighter over our bodies as a blast of freezing wind made Selene shudder. 

She smiled weakly and looked up at me with her big brown eyes. "Nymeria, when is Father coming home?" She asked. "I don't know." I replied. Her brow furrowed in worry. "Do you think something happened to him?" She asked quietly. I gulped and said nothing. I wish I knew.

We sat in silence for a while, watching the snowstorm outside the den rage on. I must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I remember is waking up to a gently snoring Selene at my side. The storm had stopped, and sparkling white snow blanketed the forest, unmarred by pawprints. 

I sighed and got to my feet, gently unraveling my sleeping sister from my cloak and tucking her own cloak tighter around her small frame. Our cloaks were made for us by our Mother, who had died a year ago from an unknown sickness.We had barely gotten over her loss, and now Father was missing. I wouldn't know what to do if we were left all alone. 

Selene stirred in her sleep, and I heard her stomach growl for something to eat. I nudged her awake, and she blinked groggily at me. "Wakey wakey." I said, helping her to her feet. "We're both hungry, so I'm going to go hunt. You stay here." She growled grumpily at me. "But I wanna help!" She whined. I shook my head. She thought about it for a minute. "I know! We can look for Father and hunt at the same time!" Again I shook my head. She pouted. "Why not?" I sighed. "Selene, It's not safe. It's blizzard season, and who knows what's out there this time of year." Whatever caused Father to not come home must be pretty dangerous. I thought. "I'll look for Father on my own. I'll bring him back, okay? Just. Stay. Here." 

Turning to leave the den, I glimpsed Selene's pouting face, and sighed. I just couldn't risk her getting hurt. The one thing Mother and Father always told me was to protect my sister. Make sure she was safe. And I planned to honor their word to the best of my ability. I trudged through the snow, my paws freezing, but I was used to the cold. It was a part of everyday life in the North. 

I picked up Father's faint scent, but it was stale and rather hard to find among the snow. But now that I had it, I held on to it. Hunting would have to wait to later. I was concentrating hard on keeping the scent as I walked along, nose to the snow. Suddenly I heard a sneeze behind me, and jumped about ten feet in the air. I turned around, only to find Selene crouching in a bush. She had followed me! And made me lose the scent trail. "What. Are. You. Doing?" I growled. She huffed. "Helping!" She exclaimed. I shook my head. "Go home." She planted her paws in the snow and stayed put. "I'm going to help hunt and find Father!" She was being so stubborn! Didn't she realize I just wanted her to be safe? We argued for a little while, but I lost it. She was not giving up, but I just couldn't let her come with me. "Selene! You need to go home right now. You are too young and small to help me hunt! You don't even know how! And whatever delayed father must be very, very dangerous. You couldn't handle it! Now GO HOME!" I shouted. Normally I don't blow up like this, but with everything happening and my life being very stressful right then, she just triggered the fuse. Her lip quivered for a second, then she burst into tears and ran way. Towards the den. I sighed and felt a little bad, but at least she was safe.

Aftera bit of searching, I found the trail again. I followed it through the pine tree forest, all the way to a large outcropping of rocks. I could make out a dark cave entrance. If this was where Father was, then I might have to go in there. Suddenly I heard a something that was a mix between a growl and a snore. The sound filled me with dread. The area near the cave entrance was stained with a putrid smell that I didn't recognize, but made my nose scrunch up with disgust. But somewhere mixed in there was Father's scent, however faint. I sighed and decided that I would have yo go in. 

I ducked into the cave, my heart pounding like a rabbit's in my chest. Daking a deep breath, I crawled along the cave wall, down into the tunnel. The walls were rough and filled with thorns and the floor had large roots that kept tripping me. Another snore sounded, ringing of the walls. I shivered. As I ventured deeper into the cave, it got colder. 

The tunnel suddenly widened out into a large cave, with a huge creature sleeping in the middle. It was bigger than anything I'd ever seen! It was gray, with brightly colored scales on it's face and neck. Gigantic ram horns adorned its head, along with long, menacing upturned fangs. A scruffy bright beard was draped over its feet, which its lsrge head was resting on. A thick spiked tail twitched, and another ground shaking snore erupted from the beast. 

My heart was thumping so fast and loud I prayed he couldn't hear it. My legs shook uncontrollably. I gulped and carefully made my way around the creature, careful not to make any sound. I was searching for something that could tell me the fate of my father, but my heart felt heavy with the most likely posibility.

In one corner of the cave I could see a pile of something. Tiptoeing over, I found thst there was a pile of a mixed assortment of bones! I could make out many maned hare skulls. But when I saw the few fox skulls I cringed and turned to continue my search. But before I could look away something caught my eye. Beneath the pile of dirtt bones was a necklace. I tugged it out carefully, and almost dropped it once I saw what it was. The necklace had three thornback spines threaded onto it, with a purple berrystained bead seperating each thorn. It was my Father's necklace. My breath caught in my lungs and I knew I had to get out of here. Slipping Father's necklace over my head, I took one last look at the sleeping Leviathan and hightailed it outta there. 

But luck wasn't with me this time. As I turned to leave the cave, my cloak caught on one of the bones and the whole pile came crashing the the floor. The crash was loud enough to wake the beast from his slumber. Blinking groggily, the leviathan growled as he looked around for the intruder. Dropping any aspect of stealth, I sprinted out into the tunnel, running faster than I ever had before. I burst out of the cave and kept running.

A roar echoed from the cave, and I put on an extra burst of speed to outrun the huge leviathan chasing me. Although he was bigger, my light frame and long legs gave me an advantage. Soon he was far behind, but I didn't dare stop running, swerving in between trees and dodging rocks, because I knew he wouldn't give up. So I kept running. 

My legs finally gave out at the bank of a frozen lake. The ice seemed to go on forever. I panted, trying to get my strength back.

"Why were you running Nymeria?" The voice made my already pounding heart to skip a beat; or two. I turned around, and to no surprise, there was Selene. In her jaws was a rather scrawny maned hare. She didn't wait for my answer, instead beamed proudly and stuck out her chest. "Look what I caught! All by myself!" She announced. I hushed her. "Ssshhh! Don't make so much noise! We need to hurry, run!" She ignored me. "Where's Father? Is that his neckla-" She was cut off by an ear splitting roar as the leviathan came crashing through the trees towards us. 

Selene squealed, and ran onto the ice. I cried out and tried to grab her, but she was too far away. The leviathan ran onto the ice, growling and stalking towards Selene. CRACK! A loud crack sounded as the ice beneath the monster began to break. But he payed no mind, still hissing and approaching Selene. I called out to her, but she was frozen in terror, the hare still limp in her jaws. The leviathan snarled and lunged for Selene. She shrieked, and backed away. The beast landed about a foot away from her, the impact sending him crashing through the ice. I ran up beside Selene, attempting to get her away. A shriek loud enough to make my ears ring came from the drowning leviathan, scramblinb scrambling for a hold on the dislodged ice. A charcoal gray paw lashed out, dragging Selene down with him. She frantically tried to get up, but she had tripped and was sliding across the ice towards the churning blue water. I grapped hold of her flapping cloak, trying to stop her from falling in. But she was going to fast, and fell into the freezing water. She squealed, and tried to doggy paddle out of the hole. I still pulled on her cloak. I can't lose her too! I can't! I tugged on her cloak, trying to hoist her up out of the water. The leviathan under the surface suddenly lashed out, knocking Selene away. Her cloak ripped, half of it still in my mouth. "Selene!" I called, desperate to get her out of the water. She thrashed, her tears mixing with the ice cold water. "N-Nymeria! Nymeria..." She cried, water invading her mouth as she tried to stay afloat. Her head bobbed under the water, slowly sinking out of sight. The shredded remains of her cloak floated up, before sinking down too. 

I slumped down onto the ice, not even noticing the cold. My paws were numb. Her cloak was still in my mouth. I layed my head on my paws, and wept myself to sleep that night.

When I woke up, I was so cold I couldn't feel a thing. My paw pads and nose were blue. I slowly stood up, tieing the shredded cloak around my ankle. I walked over to the maned hare Selene had caught last night. It was cold and hard, inedible. I dared not look at the gaping hole in the frozen lake. Trudging slowly across the ice, I made my way to the bank. Stretching my tight muscles, I decided to run. To get away from this place that destroyed everything I lived for. So I ran. I ran through the forest, leaving painful memories behind. Over the next several days I never stopped running. Only stopping to hunt when neccasary. I don't know what fueled me; probably grief. But no matter what gave me the energy to run for miles, I did. I didn't talk, I barely thought. It was a very hazy time for me. 

Somehow, I ended up near the plains of Dellhaven. At least, that's where my legs finally gave out. The plains are my home now. The warmer weather helps me forget the North. Well, I haven't exactly moved on yet, but I know I'll never forget my family. I'll see them again someday.