Chapter 1 - The Runaway

                                    

                                          
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Olivia trembled with fear. 
                          
Scurrying alone through a forest shrouded in a dark cloak of shadows, she carried nothing but the tattered dress on her already bruised and scraped body. She glanced up at the full moon, high up above, and gave thanks for the cloudless night. The moonlight fought its way through the branches, as if showing her the way.
                          
With her hands wrapped tightly around her quivering form, Olivia was not only scared but cold as well. She kept looking around for a safe place to hide for the night. Every little sound the night creatures made spooked her. Even the sound of her own steps crunching the twigs and pine needles under her leather boots made her more anxious.
                          
She hoped her fortune was about to change compared to what she had had so far.
                          
When she had run away last night, she thought the rain was her lucky break, but the trickle had soon turned into a nightmare called downpour. It had covered her tracks and scent, so if her parents sent out a search party it would've been difficult to track her. Even if they had figured out she went for the woods and not the city. At the same time, Olivia found traveling during the night with the constant rain pelting down on her a miserable endeavor.
                          
The day hadn't improved although she had welcomed the warmth of the sunshine. After she had freshened up in a nearby stream and rested a bit, she returned to her little camp. She had stopped before reaching it, dismayed. It had been wrecked. Her bedroll and backpack had been torn apart by a greedy bear which she found feasting on her travel rations. She had surreptitiously retreated and then fled as far away from the bear as possible.
                          
Night had fallen since then, and Olivia was utterly lost. The only thing she knew was that she was climbing a slight incline, hoping to find shelter in a cave higher up the mountain. At least Olivia expected to find one. She dared not go back. She didn't want to be found, and  didn't want to stumble upon the bear again.
                          
Her eyes kept flickering from the ground in front of her to the forest surrounding her. A sudden uneasy chill ran down Olivia's spine, making her speed up to a brisk walk, feeling as if the forest itself was watching her every move.
                          
A muffled noise drew her attention, making her stop mid-step. She put her foot down quietly while she strained her eyes and ears for the source of the noise. It wasn't like any of the sounds which had followed her along her trek.
                          
Hearing it again, her feet carried her towards the source of their own volition. As she drew nearer, the sounds became more distinguished. Her heart thumped louder and faster with each step she took. When Olivia heard the growls and snapping of teeth, her feet finally caught up with her brain and stopped moving.
                          
She was sure those sounds were made by wolves. Turning to her left, Olivia narrowed her eyes towards the shifting shadows.
                          
A wolf lifted its head from the cover of the darkness. Its features were now illuminated by the moonlight. The beast's muzzle was bloody and its eyes filled with ravenous hunger that hadn't been sated in a while. The other wolf raised its head as well, blood dripping down its fur, as it snarled and snapped towards the first one. Olivia watched as the fight for meat erupted. Their growls and snarls echoed among the trees, making the smaller creatures scurry to safety.
                          
She thought it best to withdraw, so she retraced her steps, moving stealthily. When Olivia guessed she had put enough distance between herself and the raging beasts, she took flight yet again.