"Here, take Jupiter — I'll find another way out." My sister tells me, passing me my baby brother. I situate him on my hip, careful not to burn him with the flame in my hand.

"But what if—" I try to protest. She shakes her head at me, blue curls bouncing.

"Run, and don't stop. When you reach the surface, head to the woods, out of the mountains. But stay away from Wolves"

The walls shake and we duck away from falling loose stones. My eyes well up and I throw my arms around her. "What if you don't make it out?"

She hugs me back tightly. "I promise I'll try, okay?" I nod against Aislee's chest and we both jump as another hit comes. "Take care of Jupiter if I don't make it." I nod again and pull away. "Te amo." She tell me, sadness dripping into her voice.

"Te quoque amo." I give her a long, sad look before turning and crawling through the tiny tunnel. I know there's a high chance I'll never see her again.

I hold onto my one-year-old brother tightly, crawling through the blockade on my knees. I ignore the pain as tiny pebbles penetrate my skin.

When I make it out on the other side, I yell back through the tunnel, in case Aislee's still there. "I made it!"

I take off running then, following her directions. But I'm confused. Mama said avoid the woods, Aislee said run to them.

I shake off the doubt and navigate down the corridor, keeping the balled up fabric in my palm lit with fire.

When I reach the surface, I extinguish it and throw the scrap to the dirt. Peering around, I widen my eyes.

Across the rocky terrain, near the main entrance to the Caves, a warrior line of  dragons fights an army. I can make out Wolves and humans, the humans armed and firing at the mountain. The dragons do their best to defend our home.

Baby Jupiter begins to cry, so I take off, wanting to avoid detection. I attempt to run as fast as I can, having trouble as I'm only eleven and carrying a one-year-old baby.

I reach the other secret entrance, knowing this would be where Aislee would come out. The ground rumbles and I nearly drop the baby.

Rocks tumble a few feet deep into the tunnel, blocking it off completely.

"Nullum!" I shriek, and tears flow down my face. I know now for sure that I'll never see Aislee again. Whether she was trapped or dead, my sister was gone, I was running out of time, and I needed to leave her behind.

I wake with a gasp, my eyes wide as I bring myself back from the depths of my memory. I sit up, yelping a little from the graze on my arm. I glance around before my eyes land on Jupiter. His teary blue eyes brighten.

"You're awake!" He exclaims.

"What happened?" I ask groggily. But the second the words leave my mouth, everything rushes back. I wheeze as I realize my baby brother saved my life. He's only five.

"You've been asleep for more than a day." His words choke in his throat; he's trying not to cry. "You aren't healing. I'm scared." A tear trailed down his pale cheek.

I open my arms, wincing from the slight sting. He falls into them, hugging me tightly. "I was so scared, Ry! I didn't know if you'd wake up!" He sobs.

"Shhh." I rub his back, letting him cry. He went through a lot today, for a five year old. He's probably exhausted.

He climbs onto my lap and I gasp, not expecting the sudden pain.

"Sorry!" Jupiter squeals. "I forgot. I think your leg is broken."

I gently lift him off my lap and lean forward, examining the leg. I can't move it; if I try, excruciating pain shoots up to my hips. I lift my tunic up to my mid-thigh and sigh, leaning against a tree.

Dried, sticky blood covers the calf — from where the arrow hit me — but on my thigh, just above the knee, a deep bruise has formed. I know that's where the break is.

I need to heal!

Not unless you want the whole forest on fire! Kenna growls.

"Can you heal?" Jupiter whispers.

I shake my head. "I'll have to heal the slow way. Which means we're stuck here. Sorry buddy."

He shrugged. "I'll take care of you, Ry. If the bad men come back, I'll fight again. Just like before!"

I smile at his energy. "Thanks, Buddy. I can't believe your powers are strong enough!"

He grins, "Yeah! Watch!" He lifts his palms and little bolts of lightning shoots out. His eyes flash yellow and the earth lightly grumbles.

"Did you feel that?" An airy voice gasps from through the trees.

I freeze, gripping Jupiter's arm in mine and stopping whatever power he was about to show me. "Shh." I whisper.

"Was that an earthquake?" A different voice asks. This voice was much deeper.

"It felt so much like one!" The first voice sounds in awe. "But that wouldn't make any sense, right?"

The voices' owners come into view and I attempt to scramble up, yelling as pain bolts through my leg. I crumple back down and the couple stop their conversation, staring in bewilderment at us.

I don't hesitate. I know I can't get up, but there's a chance Jupiter will make it. "Curre." I command softly. He shakes his head, blue eyes wide.

"I'll fight." He whispers. "I'll protect you!"

I shake my head, and then still again when Kenna gains my attention. Wolves.

I begin to panic, my breathing becoming labored as I try to figure out what to do. I study the wolves, getting a sense of how dangerous they are.

There is only two of of them, that I know of. One is a woman, and the other is a man. Both look to be about twenty. I'm sure they're older than that, but werewolf aging confuses me.

Both have dark hair and light eyes; if they were dragons, they'd be Earth. The woman puts her hands out, obviously recognizing my panic.

"Relax." She tells me. "It's okay, we won't hurt you."

I keep unblinking eyes on her, and I feel Jupiter grip my shoulder.

"You're hurt," she states the obvious. "We can help you."

"The wolf is the enemy, they can't be trusted." My mother's words echo in my mind. And then Aislee's: "Stay away from wolves."

I scoot backwards, but only a few inches; a tree blocks my escape route.

"Curre." I tell Jupiter.

"Nullum." He replies.

The couple look confused, unsure of what to do. "Please let us help you! We can take you to a doctor, that leg doesn't look good."

I shake my head. I can heal myself. I think. Stupid trees would burn though!

The woman looks at the man. "I don't want to freak her out anymore." She whispers, "But she's only a child, and the boy with her looks like he hasn't eaten in weeks."

The man nods and they step closer carefully. I yelp when I accidentally move my leg. The couple glance at each other, worry flashing in their eyes.

"I know you're scared," the man says. "But we can get you medical help, and food, and a bed to rest in. You don't have to stay long, just enough to get better."

Jupiter nudges me, I know he's hungry and the offer sounds intriguing, but I have to keep him safe. Wolves are not safe.

"Lupi." I warn as he takes a step towards the couple.

He pauses and glanced back at me. "So?"

I sigh. He wouldn't know. He's too young, mom wouldn't have been able to warn him.

"I'm starving." He whispers, and I'm not sure if he's talking to me or to the wolves.

The woman smiles at him. "We can get you food. And clean clothes."

"Clothes?" He asks, glancing at me. I point to my tunic and he lights up, nodding at the woman. She reaches a hand out and he tentatively takes it. My heart thuds, waiting for them to hurt him, run off with him, anything that tells me everything I've been taught about Wolves is true.

But the woman just picks him up with a gentleness only a mother has. I stare, puzzled. What do I do? I ask Kenna. I get no answer. Maybe she's as startled as I am.

I try to move closer to them, but I'm crippled, unable to get up or even scoot.

"My sister needs help." Jupiter tells the woman. "She can't walk; her leg is broken."

The man nods and walks over to me. I watch him carefully, unsure what he's going to do.

"May I pick you up?" He asks. "We'll take care of you, I promise."

When I don't answer, he glances over to his mate and my brother. "Can she understand English?"

Jupiter nods, his eyes getting heavy. I was right before, he's utterly exhausted.

The man asks me again, and this time I give a timid nod. He smiles warmly and crouches down and snakes an arm behind my back. He's gentle and slow, but it hurts so bad I want to scream. When he gets his other arm beneath my legs and lifts, the pain is so harrowing, I pass out almost instantly, giving myself up to the darkness.