Chapter One (part 7)

Echo spent a week running. It was the free-est feeling she had ever experianced. She loved how her lithe muscles worked, front pulling her through the air, back pushing her farther. She loved how her muscles forever released and then tightened as her paws hit the soft earth. Never was she sore or winded. She had nothing of even the slightest injury on top of her skin or within. The thrill of the speed kept her going. And every time the air rushed behind her, so did her thoughts and memories. She was left with nothing but the beauty of power, blood rushing through her veins, the constant thud-thud, thud-thud of her huge paws hitting the ground.

Echo had been running in circles around what she believed to be the heart of the forest. Just the constant path she made was comforting. Nothing threw her off, and she didnt have to think of where she was going. If she thought of direction, more or less she would think of other things as well. It would cause her mind to flood open into her happiness. Her heart felt healed in the numbness she held. There was no pain that she had to escape. Even when she slept at night, her mind was empty, as numb as her heart. And she enjoyed her dreamless sleep.

It was the eighth day Echo had been running. She slowed down for the first time to think. She could just spend the rest of her life running could she?

-No, The pain of people I may be able to avoid but I cant avoid life. All I've ever wanted was a home. A place to return to. And now, even now, I'm holding myself back from that.-

Echo was trotting along now at ease. As she bumped into a tree, she caught a fresh scent of someone who had passed. She stopped. Smelling the thick bark protecting the beautiful tree. It was slightly familiar to her but she couldn't remember where. All her memories were veigue and fuzzy, nothing fit together to form a full picture of anything. So she couldn't match the scent with a face.

"Dont go that way, Echo. Do not follow the trail!" She whispered to herself. But her curiosity stole over her and she stepped carefully onto the barely worn trail. Echo scanned the trail before she set another paw forward. She could make out a hoof print and a human pair of feet. Or atleast they looked human.

Echo stopped again. Another trail crossed this one. The new scent mingling in burnt her throat. It was like she was inhailing smoke that wasn't there. It smelled of burning charcol and ash. Echo gave a short caugh, trying to rid her nostrils of the smell, but it didn't disapear.

Echo changed paths. No matter how much she hated the scent she just came accross, she couldnt help but want to find it's owner. So she walked parallel to the edge of the forest's heart.

Echo walked on carefully in silence, following the putred smells. It wasn't long until she heard quiet voices. She could barely make out the deepest one there.

It was male. "Why are we not following the horse and elf. The cat should be with him. Isn't he obliged to protect her or something like that?"

"No stupid! It's possible that she'd be with him, but it isn't likely. Just because she hasn't marked territory doesnt mean she's with him. I can still smell her everwhere through here. Just keep walking!" This voice was female and sharp. She was the one giving orders.

"Damn woman. She's an awesome demon with all her powers and tracking ability but she's such a hard ass. Why are we with her again?" Another voice, more young than the rest piped in. The two males where whispering.

"Shut your traps, the both of you or I'll have your heads fed to the wolves." The woman snapped again.

Both guys muttered themselves into silence. Aparently her temper wasn't to be tested.

Echo took a delicate step forward, but it was a mistake. With the silence ahead, everyone could hear another set of feet stalking.

"Shh!" The woman stopped walking and the tiger heard two soft thumps followed shortly by quiet "Oww"s.

"When you two oafs can learn to respond quicker instead of running headlong into trees, youd be able to hear someone's following."

There was a quick gust of wind that flew past Echo, and suddenly she was surrounded by three dark figures.

"I knew the thing wouldn't be with the elf." The woman smirked down at Echo.

Chapter One (part 6)

As her paws hit the forest floor, they made a quiet thud. It was a comfortable rhythem. It was what she had run to before, the constant beat. This time she wasnt running away from everything she knew, causing injury to herself, she was simply running. Constantly moving was her plan. She would rest every couple hours or so, find food, find water, then run again. She just wanted to run forever, never stop moving. Because if she stopped moving she might be found, found and rejected.

Her breathing was even with the beat she was running to. Her heart didnt over-excelerate again. She managed to avoid getting a single cut, but it got trickier to do the farther she ran into the forest. She would occasionally slow to a light trot, but eventually pick it back up again to hear her peaceful rhythem again.

Her mind was clear, as clear as the cool air that flooded her lungs everytime she drew breath. Finally, she found the peace she was looking for. She found it in the speed and the never ending motion. As long as she ran she wouldnt need to think. And as long as she didn't think, she wouldnt see Dymetri's face or anyone elses ever again.

The air flowed past her, along her sides, into her lungs. It felt like she was flying, flying in a dream...

***

Dymetri slumped in Atnela's saddle once he was in the cover off the thick canopy of leaves. He let his anger, pain, and every other emoton roll off his skin in waves. He paid no attention to the bow at his back, or the quiver of arrows by his thy. Nor did he pay thought to the saddle bag full of food, and drink his mother insisted he take.

The elvin prince sighed as he felt Atnela dance delecatly beneith him, feeling his distress. He patted her neck.

"Sorry girl. I...I just dont know what to do..." He trailed off.

Atnela turned her head to eye him quizically. She was practically a mother too him, more strict and demanding than his own Elf mother. She snorted and tossed her head, causing his anger to boil up again.

"Dont you dare think me pathetic!" He hissed angrily. "She is the one who left with no apparent reason. Now walk." She constantly would keep him on his toes. She wanted him to be in control all times, being the king he would soon be. But also she wanted to have things her way. It was disconcerning most times, and she was highly unpredictable for it. The only reason she wasn't slaughtered as a young foal was because Dymetri had forbidden it. He was barely bigger than the size of a five year old human though a good hundred years old realistically. He was the cutes kid any of them had ever seen, but boy would they pay hell if they ever did anything to piss him off. He had a temper to scare the most dangerous of demons. It was the reason his mother said he would never end up in hell.

Atnela also wasnt a normal horse. She was slightly younger than the eight hundred year old elf who rode her. She was a good seven hundred and twenty winters old. They could never calculate how long she would live exactly, they had never found another like her either. The strangest thing of all is that she moved, acted, and looked no more than a normal horses 8 winters old.

Dymetri was the only one who could ride her. Whenever someone else would approach her, wanting to ride, she would walk calmly up to them but never stop in front of the person. She would continue on, either shoving back the wanting rider or causing him to back up on his own until he was a couple feet outside the barns, then she would whinny as she kicked the door shut.

If anyone did ever manage to get on her back, she would obay enough to be walked into the feild, but then change direction, still walking, towards the forest. Dymetri waited an hour the first time she did this. He waited for her return. What he was not expecting, was her to be riderless. They never saw that stable boy again.

Dymetri snorted at his memories of his beloved horse. Many were hilarious, but others were down right scary. Like the time when the last forest they lived by had caught fire. In human years the elf was around 11 years old. Still a child and still easily hurt. Atnela had run them past every burning tree, many times blockaded by a fallen tree that was being eaten by the gold flames. It was a very scary time for the young prince. No one else could be found and all he knew how to do was cling to his horses life and hope she get them both through the nightmare. They did get out alive, but both close to death. Hair, clothes, and skin were charred, blackened and burned. And many shiny burns were in place of the beautiful black fur of Atnela's hide.

Dymetri slipped out of his memories with a shiver. Atnela had stopped, listening for something.

"What is it?" The elf whispered as he also narrowed in on the sound. It was the steady rhythem of paws pounding a path into the earth. It was running in the opposite direction of them, straight for the heart.

Dymetri urged Atnela forward cautiously. He was headed to the heart's meadow anyway, might as well see what was running that way.

Chapter One (part 5)

Dymetri watched the tiger run off at a speed that would look nothing more than a blur to the human eye. He was confused and hurt more than he was hoping to be.

-She's a werecat? Wait...she cant go out there. There's hunters that look for a prize like her. Especially when they know she's a werecat.- Panic flooded his mind, but shock held him still.

He couldnt take his eyes away from where Echo had run into the trees. And he couldnt figure out why she had run away in the first place.

-Did I do something wrong?- Hurt flooded his eyes, changing the normal gold to a dark depressing bronze. They were lackluster, no more stars in is eyes. He hated to think it, but he knew those stars were only for her. His forehead creased as he tried to recall the things he had done that would have made her want to leave. But he couldnt get her face out of his head.

In his memory he could see as she stood by the window, the breeze blowing the curtain behing her, almost dream like. Even with the face of a cat, Dymetri could see the pain that was there, hidden by the fur, muscle, and bones. Her eyes were pleeding for him to understand and they had held a hint of gratitude.

The light had shined on her face, giving fire to boil her blood as she prepared to fall down to the earth. If he wanted to believe, he could find proof that she didn't want to leave in her face. Even her movements said that she wanted to just lay in a corner of the room rather than jump out of the castle window. He could find many plausible reasons that proved she was reluctant to leave. But she still did.

"But why?" He growled to himself, closing his eyes. He didn't want to look back at the forest. The more he watched those death filled trees the more he felt he needed to run after her. But he couldnt and he knew it.

As the elvin princed turned his back on the window, eyes still closed, he heard the door open.

"Darlin, ohh good your awake. I have a fresh pair of clothes for the--" The Queen finally noticed the girl was no longer in the room.

"Where is the young woman Dymetri?" His mother asked gently.

He jerked his thumb towards the window, face filling with the emotional pain again.

-I really have to get better at hiding what I'm feeling or I'll make a misserable King.-

"Echo jumped." Was all he said in an emotionless voice, pulling his face into an empty mask.

His mother squeaked and ran over to the window, peering down into the garden below. All the flowers were unruffled and undamaged. And she could find no corpse down below.

"But where's her body, surely she couldn't have survived that fall." She sounded hurt.

"She didn't fall, she jumped. She landed and ran." He didn't think it wise to tell his mother yet that Echo wasn't entirely human.

He opened his eyes as his mother sank breathless onto the unoccupied bed. She was utterly confused and worried out of her mind. "We need to find her. She cannot be found running around. Your father wont hear of it." She whispered.

"Mom." He walked over and kissed her lighty on the cheek. "I need to get out."

"How long will you be away? Are you going to look for Echo?" She remembered her name. But still she kept up a constant flow of questions, asking even more with her eyes. "Are you going into the forest? Are you going to take Atnela?" She pointed with a finger towards the horse stalls. "Are you going to be home tonight? You do know that the ball is in two weeks right? You'll be back by then right? Are you--" Dymetri raised a hand to cut her off.

"Quiet mother. One question at a time please. Yes I will take my horse and weapons. Yes I'm going into the forest. I dont know when I'll be back. And no Im not looking for Echo." He left her there in silence. Walking with a firm pace out of the room and down the long staircase. The front doors were open and he walked glumy into the sun.

Chapter One (part 4)

It was a couple hours before Echo was woken by Dymetri groaning as he rolled over. He was waking up. Quickly and quetly she leaped off the bed. The cat stretched one last time, paws reaching foreward, before she shifted back into human form. He still didn't know she was a werecat and she wasn't sure she wanted to see his reaction.

The teenage girl smoothed her light green night gown, and walked lightly to the side of the bed where the elvin prince lay. She reached out slowly to trace her finger along the proud set cheek bone. At her warm touch, his eyes flew open. The orbs were a liquid gold dancing with tiny stars and they werent reflecting anything. He seemed to have the very galexy in his eyes.

"Echo?" He whispered. She nodded to him.

"Thats my name, dont wear it out." Echo smirked at him. It was one of her favorite lines to use for some reason.

He looked confused for a minute as he took in her appearance. "Where'd all the bandages go? And I swore I could see more scars than I cared to count. Most of them are gone." At his words she looked down to inspect herself.

Most of her scars had healed and what ever cuts that had remained after she took off the bandaging, had healed completely. She closed her eyes and tried to sense where the scars were on her body that was covered by the night gown. It was simply out of modesty for the prince in front of her but she was curious to know what marks were left along her white skin.

She could feel a healed gash diagonal accross her back. It started at her left shoulder and ended at her right hip. Another scar shone brightly in the girl's mind's eye along her right forearm. She was supprised that she hadn't bled to death. Echo had come dangerously near to slicing the main vein in her arm. Another in her left thy, where the main artery is, was in danger of being torn open. She could feel some small scars on the bottoms of her feet.

She looked at her hands one last time, following the last scar she could find that was between her forefinger and middle finger. It ran from the middle of her palm, through the fingers, and ended and the center of her wrist. She sighed. It was the farthest she had ever run, and she put myself through a meat grinder to get to the middle of nowhere.

A shiver ran down her spine. She couldnt even begin to imagine what she looked like when Dymetri had found her. He was looking at her now, cautiously, like he didnt want her to feel self conscious. In his eyes, reflected his heart, and there she saw nothing but gentle care, a little anger bubbling below the serface, and agonizing worry. It almost hurt her to look into his eyes. Echo had always been good seeing people's hearts in their eyes, it was a talent that she had. She just wished she didn't have it anymore because of the hurt she most often saw.

Without warning, her knees buckled and she colapsed on the floor. Tears pouring through her eyes. Echo's mother's face shone bright in her memory. It was her heart she saw that made Echo want to forget her talent forever. Her eyes held anger, hate, and to Echo's dismay, betrayal. She had done everything she could to keep her mother from being disapointed in her. To keep her believing in the teen's trust, that she would never betray her mother or father. But it was there, and it tore her apart.

Dymetri was startled by her sudden break down. He lept out of the bed and knelt beside the shaking girl. She could sense him wanting to reach out and comfort her, but his better judgement made him pause. Before he could come to a decision, a sob tore from her throat, ending in a quiet gowl as she darted to the window. As she made her way accross to the open window, she changed swiftly into her tiger form. It was her prefered form. Her night hair resembled her black stripes while her white skin was the soft white fur of which the black stripes made their intricate paterns.

Shock reflected in Dymetri's face. Her fur was on end and her body shook with the silent tears that she barely managed to keep from escaping her eyes.

"Echo? You're a--" Before the elf could finish his sentence, Echo shot him an almost apologetic look mixed with gratitued for the care he and his family gave her and leaped out of the window.

She fell five stories before landing with a thud in a crouch. She looked back towards the window in her borrowed room where Dymetri was looking out at her. He looked hurt, and even from here she could see into his eyes. Echo shook her head, trying to rid herself of the picture of his perfect face, and raced off towards the trees.

-Back into the forest I go.-

Chapter One (part 3)

When Echo woke up, the light was way too bright. So she just closed her eyes thinking. She wondered how long she had been out of it. She remembered seeing the armed man in the pretty meadow. She remembered how much she had ached and hurt.

Voices were speaking quietly around her. "No sign of waking yet?" Someone sighed in a worried tone.

"No, Miss. And the Prince has been by her bedside for the full week. Hasn't slept till now, actually." This voice also was full of concern. Her voice was light and airy.

-Prince?- I could feel my face muscles trying to move to fit my confusion. And then I remembered that he said he was a prince. His name was Dymetri. But the confusion returned. -And did she just say a week?-

"Miss! Look." The voices were still hushed. "I think she's waking." I could almost feel the eyes upon me, studying my every movement.

"Well...Let the poor girl sleep still. Put two glasses of water and two of wine on the table please and leave them be." Another sigh. This voice was more firm, but had a sweet, motherly feel to it. "My poor son, worried out of his mind." Again I could feel eyes one me. But before anyone moved, I slipped back into a dreamless sleep.

***

When I woke again, it wasnt as bright as before, and I was able to open my eyes. This time I was able to asses my injuries. But there were none.

There were some places where bandages were still wrapped tight, but mainly all I could see were many many scars. I was able to move slightly but I was painfully stiff. The muscles in my shoulders and legs were healed for the most part, but I still ached.

By my right hand, with his head laying on a throw pillow, was the man I had encountered in the clearing. Dymetri's face was peaceful as he slept, except for the line of worry that creased his perfect forehead. There were dark circles under his eyes and I knew that what the woman had said was true. He had not slept in a long time. But a week? That seemed too long.

I looked around the room I was in. There wasn't a lot of light comming in from the window. It was dusk outside and what was left of the sunset was absolutly magical. I was laying on a cloud like matress which rested on a four poster bed frame. The frame was made of oak, and had exquisite carvings of roses and blooming dogwood trees. Honeysuckle vines twisted up the four posts, filling the air with a sweet and lulling scent.

The silk sheets were a light green, only a shade or two darker than the night gown I was dessed in. Beside the bed was a small table where two tall glasses of water sat along side two tall glasses of dark red wine.

Silver, silk curtains fluttered lightly where they hung parted at the window. And next to the wide window was a vanity with a mirror framed in cherry oak with the same rose carvings as the bedframe. The stool that sat by it was of the same wood, and the cushon was the same color as the bed spread.

Everything was clean and tidy. It was a beautiful room and I couldnt think of any way to remodel it if I had the chance.

Dymetri shifted slightly, and instantly I felt terrible for having to put him through this. It wasnt his problem. It wasnt his battle to face. I felt guilty for the fact that he had not slept..no doubt because of me.

His eyes fluttered open to reveal a warm gold. His face lit up when he saw I was awake.

"Thank the Gods." He whispered.

I decided to save him as little worry as I could, and smiled. "You can lie down here. You look deathly tired." I traced one of the circles around his right eye. His eyes closed, enjoying the warmth of my soft fingers. "Just once you tell me where I can use the bathroom."

His eyes opened and he blinked for a moment. "Of course, my lady. Just down the hall, first door to your right. And I dont think it appropriate to invade your space, my lady."

I laughed lightly. It sounded strange, like I hadnt laughed in years. "You wont be invading my space. Im done sleeping. I need to get up and move around. And your right here anyway. Sleep." I said quietly, brushing a strand of black hair out of his beautiful eyes. I rose gently out of bed, making sure not to make a sound as my muscles streched.

I walked gingerly to the bathroom which was spacious and just as designly set as my room I had slept in.

I took my time. After I was done washing my hands, I removed what was left of the bandages to see what damage was still there. All were healed and just covered to prevent rubbing. I threw the bandages in the garbage bin and walked back into my room.

Dymetri was nearly asleep on the bed, lying with the covers by his feet. "I never got your name." he said, yawning at the end.

"Echo." I whispered into his ear as I pulled the silk sheets up to his shoulders. He nodded once, and then was asleep again.

I shifted quietly into a small tabby house cat, streched, and leaped lightly onto the foot of the bed where I curled up, purring, into my preferable position to sleep a little longer.

Chapter One (part 2)

Dymetri ran through the castle gates and up to the front steps where his mother stood shouting, giving orders to the servants to find him.

"If you dont find him and get his sorry ass home--" She finally spotted him. "Get your butt here right....who's that?" Worry suddenly clouded his mother's face. She hated to see anyone hurt.

"I don't know. I found her." To lift the worried mood he added, "Can I keep her?"

She glared at him. "Dymetri Tamari Senton. This isn't the time." She turned to a group of hovering servants. They were clad in brown tunics and worn leather pants. They were clean and healthy and the happiest servants on the continent. Dymetri's mother babies everyone in the castle. And they all knew they were lucky for her to be their queen. Most didn't have it as good as they had it.

"Run a warm bath, not too hot but not cold. Fill it with cleansing oil, atleast five spoonfuls. Get bandages and numbing herbs. Get a canteen of water, maybe two. She looks dreadfully dehydrated. Then get the softest silk night gown you can find. Ready the guest room that is next to Dymetri's. Come on, get moving!" She snapped finally, clapping her hands at the servants to urge them along. "Dymetri carry her to the bath accross from your quarters."

He nodded. Knowing his mother, if anything went out of order, someone was going to have their head chewed off. Not litterally speaking of course but still, the woman had a real temper when she decided to let go.

Kendra, his mother, had light brown hair, streaked with blond from being in the sun in her gardens all day. She had radiant violet eyes. Her muscles were lean but she could still leave a welt on Dymetri's backside if he ever fell out of line. Her face was proud, full of life, and didn't show anything of her age. At the moment her eyes were pulled tight with worry for the girl in her son's arms.

When Dymetri got to the bathing room, his mother already had the shelves in there full of medical supplies. The bath was full and giving off a gentle lavender aroma. The steam from the healing oil in the water was spiraling above the water.

"Dymetri please give her over to my ladies, we will take care of her from here." His mother indecated towards five or six of his mother's ladies in waiting, waiting for him to place the unconscious woman in their arms.

He did as he was told only grudgingly. He didn't want to let her go for some reason. He sighed as Kendra waved him out of the room. "Give the girl some dignity will you?"

***

It seemed to take forever, but finally he was called back into the bath room to escort the woman he had found to her bed. Is mother's stern face appeared at the door. "Would you like to give me a hand while the ladies are cleaning up?"

He hurried into the room. She was there, still out cold, but cleaned and bandaged. Her black hair fell like a curtain over a light green night dress. The hem glinted with silver jewls. The sleaves were a dark green and the cloth was as soft as spider silk.

He could see her colorless face except for the slight pink that indicated a high fever. He caught her up in his arms and hugged her close, breathing in the light lavender scent. His pace was slow as he walk out of the bathing room, down the hall, and into a spacious guest room.

Chapter One (part 1)

"Dymetri! Don't you dare walk ou--" His mother yelled, standing two feet from the large wooden front doors, hand raised as if to strike him. But it was too late, the young elvin man slammed the door in her face.

"Damnit!" He half whispered as he strode angrily down the stone steps. His pace was quick and agile, fluid like flowing water. His anger only made him faster. His spead at a normal human's sprint, but he was still walking.

The elf was dark haired and dark skinned, tanned by the hot summer sun. His gold eyes glittered with the sparks that were flying behind the lash-rimmed orbs. His black hair glinted slightly with sweat as he broke into a run, now at the bottom of the stairs.

He was glad that his clothes were comfortable enough for running in. He had a green silk shirt and brown leather pants. They would provide adequite cover in the forest. His black leather boots were faded and worn, but comfortable. The only thing that would possibly give him away was the sun reflecting off of the two gold daggers he had in his belt, and his long silver sword. The sword had emeralds, rubies, diamonds, and saphires embedded into it's hilt that would cause many colorful rainbows as the sun bounced off of them.

Some of his anger seeped away once he was within the trees. He loved this forest, the trees abruptly started and stopped like a wall that you could walk through. However, the farther you got into the trees, the more of them were there. In the heart of the forest, you could barely move half a foot before you hit another tree. It was nearly impossible to walk through edge of the heart. Very steep slopes surrounded the center of the heart. But anyone who could make it through to the center, would come upon a very beautiful meadow that was Spring everyday and a small brook tore a path through it.

That's where Dymetri was headed. To the heart of the forest. He loved how in that center meadow, it was green all year round. Flowers bloomed and never withered or died. The brook never ran dry. It was a truly magical place, and anyone who came upon it was instantly put at peace. There, there was nothing to run from, nothing to be angry at, just happiness and peace.

It didn't take Dymetri long to reach the deadly slope, and didn't take him long to climb it either. He had come here so many times, he could see the start to a trail from where his feet pounded into the dirt. He slowed now, not wanting to run anymore. He walked the last hundred feet or so until he got to the wall of ferns that was the blockade to the meadow.

These ferns were not hard to pass through like some might think. There is always a weak link in every chain.

Dymetri walked through and into his peaceful sea of green. He started for the waterside where the sand was warm and the water cool.

He stopped. He was 20 yards from the brook when his attention was finally pulled to a mound only a few feet from the water. Worry filled him. -How did that person get here? Why are they here? Why is she covered in blood?-

He jogged lightly over to the fallen woman. When he got a closer look, he saw that beneith the drying blood was a delecate white skin. Her black hair was filthy and even darker from the blood. There were gashes in her skin, all along her sides, stomach, arms and legs. Her hands and feet had cuts deep enough that he could see the white bones. Her face was dirty like the rest of her and seemed to have less damage than the rest of her. Her clothes were nothing but ribbons now, and hardly covering her at all.

"What the--" He started to say, but he realized his voice had startled her.

She had jumped slightly, then whimpered as her muscles protested to the movement. She was still out cold however. It was just her subconscious mind no doubt, triggering her instincts that would cause her to fight or run, whichever one she normally chose.

He crouched by her side, lightly lifting one of her eyelids. She gave a gasp as light flooded into her open eye, causing her to jerk again. This time she stayed awake though, blue eyes full of anger, hurt, and fear.

Quickly with a blinding speed, she lept away from him and stood in a defensive stance. "Who are you." Her growl was hoars but non the less effective. He could here the malace and authority in her voice. She eyed his daggers and sword, becoming even more tense.

"I'm Dymetri. I am an Elvin Prince. And you..?" He trailed off, hoping for an answer.

"It is not important." She said, standing strait. The use of her sore muscles caused her to collapse, but she let out no cry of pain. He could see it in her face however. The pain ran deeper than just her physical wounds.

"Some of those cuts look really nasty. We should take care of them before they have a chance to fester." He started walking cautiously, like aproaching a terrified animal.

"Dont..care.." She panted, trying to keep back a yelp of pain.

"Please. Let me help you." He begged. He didn't know why he was even doing this.

"No." She said, her voice thick with exaustion, and before he could say anything else, she was out again.

"Like blowing out a candle.." He muttered as he shook his head. He took off his shirt, draping it around her shoulders, and buttoned it up, covering her nearly exposed chest.

Gently he lifted her delecate form into his arms and cradled her against his bare chest. She was extremely warm, and light.

He took off at a sprint. He wouldnt be running this fast if it werent for what happend when their skin made contact.

When he had picked her up, when her skin came in contact with his hands and arms, fire spread the length of his body. A desperate urge to get her help had flooded his mind, but he had no idea why this had effected him like this. All he knew is that she would only need to hang on for a couple minutes before she was helped.

He looked down into her face. Unlike most people he'd seen sleeping, it wasnt one of peace. Silent tears flowed from her closed eyes. Her face was drawn into a mask of agony. Beneith the pain, dirt, blood, and scrapes; he could see the face of an angel. Dymetri urged himself faster as she whimpered in her sleep.

"Almost there." He whispered. But he knew it was pointless. She wouldn't have heard him.

Prologue (part 2)

Finally, she broke the crest of the hill, the ground beneith her shredded paws finally leveling out. But the trees still didn't let up.

-I need to keep going!-

She could feel her energy draining as she pushed her legs faster and harder.

Suddenly one of her paws caught on a protruding root, tripping the weakened tiger, and causing her to roll many dozens of feet. She only stopped rolling when her back slammed into another, bigger tree.

For a moment, she considered just laying here for the rest of forever, but she knew she had to continue on.

So with her shaking legs protesting, she forced herself to her feet once more. As she attempted to steady herself, she winced terribly but managed to hold back even the faintest whimper from escaping her throat. Still panting, she was off again.

It was a little while before the trees began to thin out and there was enough light to momentarily blind the sprinting tiger.

A wall of ferns was up ahead. They rose high enough that when she jumped, the tops of the leaves brushed agains her underbelly.

On the other side of the wall was where the trees opened into an meadow with bright green grass intertwined with summer flowers. It was many miles long and even more wide. Only along the horizon could the wall of trees be seen again.

A brook sang happily from where it cut a path through the many acres.

"Wa..ter.." She panted. She could almost see the clear blue surrounded by the startling white sand. But she could feel her speed decreesing. She knew she wasnt running much faster than her average jog but was using just as much muscle as she uses to sprint.

No matter how far or fast she ran, the brook seemed to get farther and farther away. Small black dots started clouding her vision as her brain started to shut down from exaustion and lack of proper oxygen.

Finally she stumbled to a stand still. The tiger's dirty head hung so low, her black nose was centemeters from the dirt. Tremers shook her legs and she eventually lost balance, falling onto her side. Her sides heaved, her breathing dangerously uneven and shallow.

She could feel her body shrinking here and there, ears moving down the side of her head, her muzzle contracting back into her skull, until she was left in her now mangled and bloody human form.

The bubbling brook was taunting her and her dehydrated body as her heavy eyelids drifted closed over blue eyes.

"What..have.....you done...now....Echo?" She accused herself.

She could no longer hold onto consciousness and the world around her desolved and she slipped into the black. Sadly Echo didn't realize that the sandy shore was a mere two feet away and the water was only four.

Prologue (part 1)

Her paws were leaving a bloody path from where they had made contact with the forest floor. The blood path trailing behind her by many hundreds of miles.

Her pawpads were torn, scraped, and had cuts deep enough you could see the bone. Her white fur, normally so beautiful with delecate patterns of black stripes, was matted with congealed blood.

Deep rents and tears in her skin oozed a hot scarlet liquid which glinted slightly when the fresh blood caught a stream of sunlight that had penetrated through the dense green canopy of leaves.

Her lungs were burning like she had swallowed flames. Her throat seemed to be closing in on her while she struggled for every precious breath needed to keep running. Her mouth and tongue were dry and she was in desperate need of water.

Her legs ached as she sped past trees, leaping over roots, and eventually came to a sudden hault. The path ahead of her rose high and dreadfully steep.

She took a deep breath and prepared herself mentally for the climb. As she pushed herself up the tretcherous slope, she could feel her muscles pulling and tearing in her legs, hips, and neck.

Trees which were in her way provided a laberinth of sorts up the hill, but yet they were nothing more than a blur of green and brown. No matter how many trees she managed to avoid, the branches still seemed to lash out and catch her sides, tearing more flesh and making the first cuts even deeper. And despite the agony, she still continued to run.

She had been running since mid-day yesterday. The girl didn't even pause for a split second to catch her lost breath. She pushed herself on, even though she knew she couldn't make it that much farther.

As she progressed through the forest, images of the faces she left behind flashed though her head like a film she just wanted to foreget. Each face was full of anger or disgust. Each voice that banished her was laced with hate.

One face shone out of the croud, more clearly than the rest, and was that much more painful. Her mother's green eyes blazed with emerald flames as her voice shook with anger.

"We never loved you! We never cared! We never wanted you! We never asked for you! And I never want to see you again!" And she had stormed away leaving an empty and painful silence behind.

Tears began to stream down her whiskered cheeks making her blue eyes sting from the salt. Thoughts raced each other around her head. Each reminding her more and more why she kept running.

-What else was I supposed to do? He dumped me. Everyone thinks I'm some sort of freak show. My parents hate me. And they kicked me out. My only choice was to run. I cant go back. I wont go back!- Angry and anguished tears spilled faster from her eyes.