Chapter Two – Unknown

The forest was silent as the warm spring breeze blew through, as if on a routine. Yet, despite the breeze, the trees were silent, and barely moved, as if they were against moving due to the reoccurring current of air. A figure could be seen if someone watched closely, slipping through the shadows in a blur of motion and darkness, travelling through the forest and the trees with grace and ease, with haste. Suddenly, the figure stopped in a clearing, kneeling by the creek, her hair flowing into her face due to the laws of motion. She sat there, unmoving for a few seconds, breathing in deep. Finally, she looked up, her dark blue eyes shining slightly against her pale completion.

Ayvein stood slowly, her skin almost glowing in the sunlight that managed to slip through the canvas of leaves overhead. She gazed at her surroundings quickly before she bent down to wash the blood off of her lips and chin. The cool mountain water chilled her hands as she splashed it on her face, but Ayvein barely noticed it as she wiped her mouth on her sleeve, the water causing the black fabric to grow slightly darker. She stood back up, glancing again at her oddly quiet surroundings, curious to the cause of their silence. Suddenly the back of Ayvein's mind began to throb, and she knew the cause.

She wasn't alone.

Swiftly and almost unnoticeably, she slipped a small dagger from her right sleeve, gripping the hilt tightly, enclosing it in her hand, hiding it, but ready to throw it within a seconds notice – possibly less. The wind began to die down as her eyes continued to scan, but she could not see anything.

SNAP!

Ayvein's head jerked towards the sound of a twig breaking, but still, she couldn't see anything…at least, not anything that was on the ground. Her glance moved upward, scanning the tree lines, but the leaves provided great cover for whoever was watching her. She took a step forward, beginning to think that running was better than being watched, but then, she heard something move and fall behind her.

Quickly, she pulled the dagger out of its sheath that was attached to her arm and spun around, not letting go of the dagger, feeling whoever was watching her was closer enough for a direct kill. She shoved the thing against the tree without seeing what it was, her dagger pressed up against its throat. She pressed hard enough to pose a threat, but not enough to draw blood…yet.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, easy lady!" He said, and Ayvein saw her watcher truly for the first time – a mere human. Or he looked liked one; he could easily be a Lycan or a Vampire in his human form, as she was.

"Who are you?" Ayvein demanded, and the boy looked at her, an expression of shock still lingering on his face.

"Alec." He told her, his eyes slipping down to the knife. "Could you please release me here, girl? I'm not the fondest person for being held at knife point."

"I have a name." Ayvein told him, her eyes blazing slightly at being given the title girl.

"Well, just let me use my mind power and figure your name out, considering you have not revealed it too me." Alec said with a smirk.

"You could have asked." Ayvein reminded him.

"Um, are we forgetting you are holding a knife at my throat! I wasn't really concerned about your name at the time!" Ayvein, the throbbing in the back of her mind gone, stepped back, putting the knife away in the same motion.

"It's a dagger, actually, not a knife – they do more damage. And my names Ayvein." Her eyes lingered on Alec as he rubbed his neck, taking a step forward from the tree that he was recently pinned up against.

"Well, Ayvein, I would say it is a pleasure to meet you, but I do not want to you to think me a liar." He said, looking at her. "Why did you have that kni – dagger, anyway?"

"Do you not carry one?" Ayvein asked, and Alec snorted.

"No!"

"Why not?"

"Hey, I am asking the questions here! You have not answered mine yet."

"I believe I did."

"With another question."

"Oh, is that not allowed?" Ayvein asked with a smirk. Alec's eyebrow rose for a second, then he shrugged as he sat on one of the tree's overly large roots.

"I guess it can be allowed."

"Good." Ayvein said with a nod.

"Oh? And what would you have done if I did not allow that?"

"I have a dagger, remember?" Alec rubbed his neck again.

"All too well."

"What were you doing, anyway?" Ayvein asked. "It is rare when a girl carries a knife around, but even rarer when a boy falls from the sky."

"I didn't fall out of the sky."

"Then where did you fall from?"

"I didn't fall – I jumped. Out of the tree." Ayvein glanced up at the tree where Alec was pointing up as he was sitting on it.

"What are you?" Ayvein asked, her blood boiling a little more from nervousness – what if he was an immortal?

"Human. Is there anything else?" You'd be surprised.

"No, I guess not…but, how did you survive that fall?" She asked, truly puzzled. No human should have been able to survive that, and land on both feet.

"Jump – not fall. I jumped."

"Sorry, jumped." Ayvein corrected herself irritably.

"Just like I survived your threat with the knife."

"Oh really? And how is that?"

"Cunning!" Ayvein couldn't help but roll her eyes.

"Right." She said, and Alec laughed. Ayvein was caught off guard by his laugh and how…sweet it sounded; like straight out of a melody. She glanced up to see the rays of sunlight were almost gone, which meant it would be dusk soon.

She had to leave.

"Alec, I have to go." She told him. Alec looked up at her, bewildered.

"Go? Did I offend you?" Now it was Ayvein's turn to laugh.

"Not in the slightest."

"Then why are you leaving?" Ayvein looked over at Alec and into his eyes. They were a beautiful light blue, almost mesmerizing against his dark brown hair that sideswiped over his face. She forced herself to look at the ground as an overwhelming feeling of sorrow swept over her, and at that moment, she had no idea why.

"Because it is better for me to go than for me to stay." Alec's bewilderment grew deeper as he stood, and Ayvein took another step away.

"Please, Ayvein…" Ayvein sighed inwardly heavily when he said her name, and she knew she had to leave. Quickly.

"I'm sorry, Alec." She said and quickly took off, running at a normal speed of a human on a track team to appear normal. She turned her head to see him standing, watching her leave, but he did not follow. Thank goodness. She thought as she fled out of his view – as soon as she did, she ran faster, her speed reaching inhuman levels as she left the forest, heading back home. As she left, however, a single thought lingered that would haunt her for many nights to come.

What am I leaving behind?