Ok, I've decided to do an imprinting story. I have no idea how this is going to go—especially considering this is set around a year after Breaking Dawn takes place. So, it should be interesting.

Enjoy and please review!

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, just Tala..and her dad.

Born To Be Wild

Chapter One:

It was sleeting when we passed through the little town of Forks. A wonderful beginning to the dreary unknown. I hadn't been here, or La Push specifically, since I was seven---nine long years ago.

My father had refused to set foot back onto the Indian reservation for some bizarre, nameless reason. He always gave me a bunch of crappy lame excuses whenever I'd asked to visit. I gave up begging once I hit high school. It was a lost cause. I had a feeling that he was trying to protect me from the same fate as my mom. She died when I was little due to a wolf mauling. Our family's never been the same since. Dad lost all respect for our tribe's spirit animal and decided to whisk us away to one of the farthest states from Washington.

So you can imagine that he obviously freaked when he got that letter in the mail a week ago. It was a year overdue, stating that one of his childhood friends, Harry Clearwater, had passed away. Apparently, the funeral had been last summer. To my dad's dismay, that was over twelve months ago.

We were back in the land of fear to pay our respects.

"Tala, pay attention to the roads. It's raining cats and dogs out there," my dad moaned, reaching over to grab the steering wheel as if he were trying to stop the car from some imaginary hydroplaning. Did I mention that he let me drive?

"Yes, worry wart," I rolled my eyes in amusement. It was fun freaking him out---I actually had superb driving skills thanks to those long nights in the car with my best friend. "Who are we seeing again?"

"Pititchu! We're going to give our condolences to Sue Clearwater and her kids."

My dad called me 'moon' in our language considering I was practically an insomniac at nights. It was such a stupid nickname, but no matter how much I tried, he wouldn't stop calling me it. The insanity of fathers.

"It's not like we have to, I mean, the funeral waslast year," I pointed out before cringing in my seat when I caught my father's glare in rearview mirror. His beady, black eyes stared me down until I quickly diverted my attention back to the road.

"Are we seeing Sam or is it just going to be a day trip?" I asked timidly, not wanting to push his buttons too soon.

"A day trip if I can help it. I don't want you caught up in all the stuff down here."

I hadn't seen Sam in what seemed like forever. My dad didn't like to talk about his older brother, Joshua Uley, much---the disgrace our family. Last time I was here, my cousin was eleven or twelve. He must be at least older than twenty by now.

Wow, I'd missed a lot.

Oh, screw it. I could just blame my short temper on hormones. "Dad, seriously, what are you talking about? I mean it's the rez for Christ's sake. The worst that goes on down here are random voodoo rituals."

Clearly annoyed, he shook his finger at me as if he were in some corny kid sitcom. "You have no idea, Pititchu. I've heard things."

"You've heard things?" I laughed, practically mocking him. "But you have no idea if any of your 'so called' suspicions are true." I know, I know. So much for keeping quiet and respecting your elders. I couldn't help it though---the expression on his face was priceless.

"Do you want me to drive?" He threatened. Damn, I knew that one was coming. I cursed silently and shut up.

"I'm not sure how old Leah is, but Seth should be around your age," he started after a few moments of awkward silence.

"Swell," I muttered in reply. "I hadn't even heard of these people before last Tuesday." My father looked guilty---finally, an expression I'd wanted to see since the crack of dawn.

"There was no need," he said hesitantly. "Until now."

Way to sound ominous, Dad. I groaned in exasperation, accelerating a bit to give him an idea of my mood. It was nine o'clock in the morning and I was definitely not known to be an early bird. This was so not my idea of a road trip.

"Did you at least call them to let them know that we were coming?" I thought to mention, staring at the rain pattering on the window shield in boredom. Red lights were such a drag.

"Umm, I think so." I gave him a 'are you completely dense' look before sighing. "Guess, we'll just surprise them. Nothing goes down better than saying 'Hello, we just came down to say sorry about your loss at who knows what in the morning a year late.'"

"Tala, stop," my dad said firmly, but I was already on a roll.

"…not to mention we haven't seen this family for almost a decade. This will work just fine, Dad. Great plan!" My sarcastic tone did not go unnoticed.

"You do not talk to me like that, young lady. Back in my day, I never talked back to my parents or else I'd…"

I stopped listening after that. If not, I was sure to get grounded due to some smart-ass remark. I probably should start trying to wake myself up soon or else I'd say something rude and give people wrong impressions. I was never a really peachy person until after twelve o'clock, but I guess I would have to make exceptions.

"Are you even listening to me, Tala? Turn left here!" He tried grabbing the wheel again, but I elbowed him back. He, the man who got us lost every year when we drove down to San Antonio, was questioning my sense of direction? Now that was messed up. I frowned. I hated unfamiliar areas. I had half a mind to turn on the GPS system. Nah. I wasn't that desperate.

It was all so weird because I kept having random flashbacks every few seconds from when I was younger. Then again, La Push had been my home up till first grade. I suppose I shouldn't be too surprised.

I began driving down a long winded road into the forest. Never-ending black against green. It was so different from the surroundings back home. Texas wasn't exactly recognized for its rain--more for its unpredictability. I swear, one day it could be a hundred degrees, and the next it would be sleeting. So annoying. The seasons were all messed up. Why did my dad even move us all the way there anyway?

"Tala, watch out!" He cried as I quickly swerved our SUV around a massive gray wolf. I shuddered, what were those things doing out here so early?

"That thing was taller than a horse, and did you see how muscular it was? We have to tell the rangers, those wolves are insane!" My dad complained. I swallowed down a shriek, my frame slightly shaking. Wolves weren't exactly my favorite carnivores, especially not after Mom died. I was even too scared to get near the ones at the zoo. So much for being invincible---they were only one of my many weaknesses.

Calm down, I had to keep repeating to myself. We'll be back home soon. Hopefully, that will keep me rational for a few hours.

"Dad, please stop," I snapped, cutting him off from his anti-wolf rant. I almost sighed in relief when I saw the battered 'Welcome to La Push' sign. Turning off at a little road fork, I let my dad direct me to a small one-story house with blue shutters. It just oozed of hospitality.

We climbed out of the car into the pouring rain and my dad ran up to knock. A woman opened the door a crack before slamming it wide open---her hawk-like face was full of surprise. If she had still been a teen, I would bet good money that her sentence would have started with something like 'OMG!' However, since adults insist on sucking the fun out of everything, she instead said, "Peter! It's been so long." Snore.

"I know," my father's face indented with a half-crinkled smile. "I'm sorry I didn't call ahead of time. It's been a little bit chaotic ever since Nina died. Please accept my apologies."

She gave a slight head bob, turning her soft, brown eyes to me in a questioning glance.

"This is my daughter, Tala." My dad stated. Wow, what an introduction. I suppose it could have been worse.

"Tala! Of course, I haven't seen you since you were this high," she indicated my height in the air. How typical. I hated when random people said that---it seriously bugged the hell out of me. "You've grown into such a young lady. How old are you now?"

"Sixteen." I wanted to purse my lips and inform her that I had never seen her before in my life. (Well, I guess I did, but like that counted for anything.) Instead, I gave the woman a fake smile, pretending that I remembered her. Thankfully, my acting skills didn't fail me.

"You're Seth's age," Sue Clearwater said, grinning. Who cares? All I wanted to do was go back in the car to the warmth, away from the wet and cold. My hair was now stuck to my skull and my jacket hood had officially filled with water. She must've gotten the hint because the next thing I know, she's motioning us inside apologizing about not letting us in sooner.

I felt like praising the heavens.

My dad practically ran in. I, on the other hand, was a bit more wary about going into a stranger's house, but hey, that's just me. Whatever. If we got murdered, it was his fault. Right as I was about to follow him, I heard a strange whimpering.

I should have just gone inside.

"Be right back! Forgot to lock the car," I hollered, walking back towards our SUV. The door shut before I even finished my sentence. Why how very kind of them. I spun around, standing still as I tried to hear the thing again. It echoed once more from a clearing on the other side of the house. Why was I doing this? I had no clue. I crept up closer, my sneakers squelching with water. The place was deserted. There was nothing, nada, zilch. I groaned. What was I expecting to find? The Loch Ness Monster? I was just about to turn back when I heard a loud howl sound from right behind me.

Shit.

My stomach dropped and my hands began shaking. Run! Shaking off my primal instincts, I slowly did a one eighty.

I seriously wish I had just run.

Three gigantic wolves stood exactly five feet away from me---growling. I screeched loudly, my knees buckling from underneath me. Smack. I fell flat on my butt into the mud.

This was not going to be a good day.

The chapters will get longer as the story goes on. I just want to get a feel for the plot. Please review. I'm really curious to see what you guys think of the first chapter. Criticism is welcome!

7/25/09: I've edited this chapter (and a lot of the earlier ones) to try and correct some of my awful grammar mistakes. The plot's all the same, so nothing major has changed. I've only added a few more comments here and there while fixing up some of the wording. Hope it is easier to read. For some odd reason, this site likes to unspace my words. Is that happening to anyone else?