"You must run, Irena! Run and don't look back!"

"But, Mama, I can't leave you." I looked at Mama's tear streaked face which was illuminated by flames, tears running down my on cheeks. "I haven't even received my spirit animal yet."

Mama brushed my red hair, which was unusual even for a Euraian colonial, back behind my ear. "You must, my little cat. Rely on your instincts to find the Greencloaks." She kissed my forehead and ran out of the hut, her python spirit animal right behind her.

I swallowed thickly and fled, escaping through a hole in the back, stopping to grab a knife beforehand. The village was up in flames, the shrieks of people and animals alike filling the air.

I tiptoed through the thick brush, staying quiet and hidden as I did so. An arrow missed by head by mere centimeters, but I didn't scream, too busy biting my tongue. When another arrow lodged itself in my shoulder, however, I couldn't stop the scream that was torn from my throat. I clamped one hand over my mouth and used the other one to get the arrow out of my arm. Someone said, "Go after that one over there, Raconot."

Great. I ran, not caring how much noise I made at this point. I could hear muffled cursing and the thunk of arrows as they hit trees, but I kept going, diving through underbrush, jumping over streams, clambering over logs. I waded through a river, letting it carry me downstream for about ten meters before getting out. I climbed a tree and did my best to stop the bleeding with my shirt sleeve.

The wolf caught me completely by surprise. A husky voice almost growled, "Go on, Fenrir. Sniff out that Amayan." The creature stopped at the base of my tree, sniffing at the wood. I held my breath, then sighed softly as it moved on, its owner right behind it.

I waited for a minute, a half hour, an hour. When I could only hear the sounds of nature, I dared to come down. I more or less fell from branch to branch, but I got down in no more than two pieces. Head spinning, I stumbled through the forest. Eventually I gave up and sank awkwardly to the ground. I could hear footsteps, but they seemed faraway in the darkness that engulfed me.

I apologize for the shabby prologue.