Fan Fiction ❯ Enchantment ❯ Shadow ( Chapter 2 )

Enchantment

Chapter Two

Lily looked up at the cottage. It was bathed in shadows and set off something inside her that she couldn't explain. She felt as if she had been there before. She knew where she was, but it was impossible. She held onto Midnight tightly and picked up her suitcase. Lily followed her parents inside.

Lily put Midnight in the back garden and placed her suitcase in the single room. It was still light outside and she felt too familiar with the house and isolated alone with her parents.

"Mum, dad, I'm going out, okay?" she cried, and then disappeared out of the front door before they could object. She pulled the door closed behind her and looked at the silver number at the top. 13. On impulse she reached up and ran a hand across the metal surface of the number. Feeling a little stupid she turned and walked down the small stone path into the woods. For a few minutes she walked alone in the woods, taking in the scents and sights that she remembered so well. Without needing to follow the signs she turned the corner and found herself outside a couple of cottages similar to her own. She did not want any company and so walked past briskly, but a whistle stopped her dead in her tracks. She turned to face a boy of her own age with silvery coloured hair and amber eyes, a large grin on his face.

"Hey, wait up!" he called, jogging over to her.

"You whistled, my Lord," she said sarcastically, putting her hands in her pockets and walking away. He kept up with her easily.

"Yeah, a wolf whistle. Ironic, isn't it?"

"Why?" she asked, not particularly interested. A large smile spread across his face.

"Because," he answered, "these woods are the hunting grounds of werewolves, so they say."

"I highly doubt that," Lily said, picking up her speed. He did the same thing, then walked ahead and slid before her gracefully. She stopped walking and found herself looking into amber eyes.

"I'm Shadow, by the way," he said, reaching out a hand. Politely she took it.

"I'm Lily." His hand froze and so did his face. Shadow slowly retrieved his hand from hers and rammed it into his pocket. She looked at him, confused, as he glanced down at her necklace.

"Well, I'm really busy," Shadow said and began to walk back towards the cottages. Lily watched him go, confused, then shrugged her shoulders and began to walk back to her own cottage.

*

Lily stirred in her sleep and then woke up suddenly. She sat up in bed quickly, blinking her green eyes as she was unaccustomed to the dark. Gradually everything became clear and she listened carefully for the noise that had awakened her. There it was, a soft whimpering. She stood up quickly and walked towards the window. She looked out, but she could not see Midnight. The whimpering grew louder and became a growl. Lily, suddenly panicking, ran out of her room and into the back garden.

"Midnight!" she called into the darkness. "Midnight, is that you?" She took a step into the garden and looked for her little dog. She walked to the back of the garden until she reached the fence that separated it from the woods. The whimpering grew louder and Lily realised, with dread that it was coming from the woods. She jumped over the wooden fence and began to walk among the trees.

Lily stepped over a fallen tree and turned. The whimpering suddenly died down. Confused, she looked around trying to find Midnight. Suddenly she could hear someone approaching behind her. A fear built up inside Lily as the growling returned, louder, closer. She could feel hot breath on her neck. Quickly Lily spun around and saw a figure. It was tall, dark and well built. The figure stepped towards her from the shadows and she could see that he was covered in grey, silvery hair. A long tail swung behind him and the face of a vicious dog or a wolf came into view. Yellow eyes were narrowed menacingly and lips were pulled back in an angry snarl. Saliva dripped from sharp fangs.

Lily gasped and took a step backwards. The wolf stood on hind legs and took small steps towards her. She turned and ran, twigs and stones digging into her bare feet, drawing blood. She ran, never looking back, but she could hear the heavy breathing of what she could only assume to be a werewolf. Her white nightdress flew behind her in the wind.

Suddenly Lily felt a heavy weight and a sharp pain digging into her back. She fell forward and struggled desperately under the heavy weight of the wolf. She could feel its stale breath on her neck and sharp claws drawing blood. Lily cried out in pain and tried to push the creature off, but it was too strong. The werewolf's jaws lowered towards her and she cried out. Lily shoved with all her might and the werewolf stumbled. Quickly she ran and soon realised that she didn't know where she was. The heavy rain clouds above her began to rumble and soon it was raining. Lily continued to run, but she was soaked and tired and she knew that the werewolf could easily keep up with her.

Lily suddenly felt a hairy arm around her neck and she was thrown painfully against a tall tree. She cried out as she thumped against it. Gathering herself together, Lily ran behind the tree, placing it between her and her enemy desperately. The wolf began to approach her so Lily quickly looked for something with which to defend herself. She reached down quickly and picked up a fallen branch. As the werewolf leapt towards her, Lily lifted the branch high above her head and brought it crashing down onto the creature's head. The werewolf howled and fell heavily to the floor.

Breathing a sigh of relief Lily dropped the branch and fell to the muddy ground. She pushed wet hair out of her face and then gasped as a hand wrapped itself around her neck. She grabbed at her assailant, trying to remove the hand, but she couldn't. Fingers moved up her neck to cover her mouth and she couldn't breathe. She began to go light headed and everything went black. Then Lily felt a sharp pain in her neck.

~TBC~