Chapter 2 2. Dungeons, Memories, Nightmares.

"I've had it with your intolerable behavior in this pack!" Grandfather roared at me.

I was seated in a chair in his office, grateful that he didn't make me to stand because my thighs were killing me terribly. I would need to dress them properly soon.

"You ..." Grandfather's voice bellowed, "I'm going to make sure you get sold to the Nightshade pack, you'll see!" He said in fury, his blond brows were furrowed and his eyes were etched with hatred.

The Nightshade pack? No ...

"Grand – I mean, your highness, please, you can't send me there ..." I pleaded with him, leaning forward from my chair.

"Silence! You have caused enough troubles for us in this pack, your behavior is just so disastrous that your presence is becoming a plague!" He declared at the top of his voice.

I gulped in a lump of saliva and sunk back into he chair.

He also relaxed into his bigger chair, rubbing his fingers on his temple. "If only your parents were here ..." He sighed, shutting his eyes momentarily.

There we go again, always trying to bring up my parents whenever he thinks I've done something bad.

"But if it weren't for you! ..." He wanted to yell again but he suddenly began to cough heavily.

The junior guard rushed over to him but he raised his hand to stop him.

"Just – get her out of here, lock her up till they come for her." He said in his throaty voice, his eyes red.

'That's what you get for always trying to blame me for my parents death!'

The guard grabbed hold of my chains and I quickly stood up so he wouldn't get a chance to pull at my neck. But that only got me into more pain, I almost fell due to the pain in my thighs.

With one glance at my grandfather who was already making use of his ink, feather and piece of parchment, we headed out.

The sound of the cell doors been shut was something I was already familiar with. If you asked me, I'd say most of my days on Earth were spent in the dungeons.

I wasn't feeling comfortable with all the stings on my thighs and so I dipped my hand into my dress and brought out a small brown rat which was asleep.

"Fubs, wake up." I patted the tiny furball but it still took a while before it jerked awake, squeaking in protest.

"Wake up, you lazy thing. I need you to get something for me." I placed it on the ground next to me as it rolled around for a while before facing me.

Leaning in towards it, I said, "I need some rags to dress my wounds, can you get that for me?" I whispered to it but it only gave a squeak as response. That was a yes!

"Good boy, you know where to get it, right –" before I could even finish my statement, it had scurried off as fast as it's tiny feet's could carry it.

Releasing a deep breath, I managed to place my legs properly and rest my back on the muddy wall of the cell.

I tried to force myself into a little slumber, trying to ignore the dung smelly breeze coming in from the narrow window, or the occasional attempts of flies trying to perch on my injured thighs.

Soon enough, I was drifting into blackness ...

...

"Hey wait up," I called at the tiny brown rat as I ran after it, trying my best to keep up. How can it be so fast if it's just a rat?

"Wait!" I called again as the rat made a turn by a large shrub. I quickly followed suit so as not to lose it.

But I didn't spot it when I made the same turn it had made.

"Where'd you go? I just want to take you home, to show you to mum and dad –" I tried to get it's attention by giving it sweet promises, something I learnt from Dad. But I meant all that.

"Come on, just come back, please." Sadness was beginning to descend upon my young heart. Why wouldn't it come –

I heard a sudden shriek from the bushes ahead and before I knew it, the same brown rat came rushing out. It landed in my arms, running around in a frenzy.

"Wh –what happened, what's going on?" I asked in genuine confusion.

And then that was when I heard it, the low sound of a deep growl. I took a step back as fear began to etch in. The rat had already found its way into one of the numerous pockets in the jacket Dad had gifted me just recently.

The bushes ahead shifted, slightly at first, but then it jerked violently and in a snap, a large brown head of a wolf popped out.

Either I had screamed first before taking to my heels, I had no idea. All I could remember was that I didn't look back at all, I just kept running.

But soon enough, my tiny leg hit a tree root and I was hurled into the dirt's of the forest ground.

"Ah!" I screamed in pain.

The growl sounded again and I turned around on the ground, only for me to set my eyes on three smallish wolves.

I scrambled on the ground in fear, unable to stand in my feet. I needed no one to tell me that they were rogues, every parents have told their children about them.

ROAR!

One of them suddenly leapt for me. Out of fear, I covered my face with my forearm but I didn't feel any weight on me afterward.

I peeped through and I saw a new but familiar wolf rolling along with the one which had attacked.

"Dad!" I cooed excitedly.

My Dad's larger black wolf stood above the attacker and looked at my direction. I could see the smirk on its face and I couldn't help but smile back.

It was when another wolf made to jump at me that I snapped out of it. A large wood crashed on its face and another hand grabbed my, pulling me along.

I looked up to see my mother, fear etched unto her face as she dragged me along.

"Mummy...what–about Daddy?" I asked amidst gasps for breath.

"He'll be okay, come on." She said without looking at me. We kept on running.

"Aaaaaaoooowwwwlll!!!" A loud cry echoed in the entire forest, Mummy instantly pulled to a stop, looking back.

I recognized that cry also, "Daddy?" Tears were already starting to well up in my eyes.

Mummy carried me and found a place to hide me. Patting my head she said, "You stay here, okay. I'm going to go and get Daddy." She placed a quick peck on my head before she hurried off.

I stretched my hand out after her, tears rolling down my eyes uncontrollably.

"Don't leave me, please ..."

It was not until several hours later that some of the pack guards found Fubs and I where we were hiding.

...

I was forced awake by a sharp pain on my thigh. I looked down to find Fubs clawing at my injured thigh.

"Wh –what was that for –" I asked in confusion as I took the small pile of rags next to me. "Thanks buddy."

I immediately went to work and begun to tie the rags around my thighs. But Fubs was still acting uneasy, running around and squeaking madly.

"What's wrong?"

With several squeaks and screeches, I understood what it had been trying to tell me.

"Shit, they're here already?" I quickly scrambled to my feet, but it was too late. The doors to the cell was barged open and several guards walked in, most of them in whom I knew were not from our pack.

"Oh no!"