Aaron and I walk side by side silently while Bently, Aaron's horse, follows behind us carrying a wooden wagon with supplies safely cover by a white tent.

Aaron has his sword strapped to his belt, his hand rest on its hilt as if expecting an attack. The morning sun is high in the blue sky and it gazes down upon us. Sweat trail down my forehead.

The strings from my cape thats tied around my neck seem to be digging into my skin so I untie it and drape the cloak over the wagon.

Inside the wagon I can hear glass clicking against each other everytime the cart rocks. I assume its Aaron's science kit of some sort to replicate the lake.

I should say something, I think to myself as I kick away a pebble. The silence is killing me.

"From your family it sounded like you went somewhere for awhile," I say, putting my dark hair in a ponytail. "Unless Im wrong."

"Hm?" He breaks away from his own thoughts, "Oh, no you're correct. I'd just graduated from schooling and well I wanted to get away for awhile. Just for two weeks and be home for Sherrie's birthday. Mama wasn't happy about it as you can imagine, but papa convinced her to let me go. He calls it 'a time to find yourself!' Whatever that means. How about you? What did your parents say when you decided to leave?"

I stare at the ground, "My parents are dead." I say numbly. I close my eyes and kick myself in my head for bringing up such a dark subject.

He looks away, "I am sorry."

"Don't be. I never met them. They were killed by... men." I say coldly. Why can't I just keep my mouth shut?

"Were they werewolves too? Is that why they were killed?" He asks slowly.

"My mama was, but papa was just like them. Human I mean. Somehow he fell in love with her and one thing led to another they had me. After that they were kill and I was taken care of by papa's mother. Grandmama."

My fists clench together angrily. "And she never told me what I was."

All this pain would have never existed if she told me the truth. Or if I never exist in the first place.

We approach a small river and agreed to rest for a bit. Which I was grateful for since I was slowly growing fatigue, but didn't want to complain about it.

Aaron dismantles Bently from the wagon and guides him to the river while I take sips of water from the flask he pack as I lean against the sturdy wagon.

He brushes the horse thoughtfully as he says, "We all aren't like that. Like those men who killed your family for being werewolves. There are good people out there. Who will accept who you are even if you don't."

I tilt my head to the side, "What do you mean by they'll accept me even though I don't?"

He gazes at me sincerely, "You don't accept yourself over something you had no control over."

My voice tightens as I spit, "I killed a man. An innocent kind man. How can I accept myself for that?"

"Maybe you never will, but theres no reason why you can't move past it. It was an accident."

I look away from his eyes. They held sympathy that I don't deserve. "You don't understand."

"I can try if you tell me," he suggests. It didn't sound pushy, but more like a suggestion to open up.

Wanting to escape from this conversation I put away the flask and pull away from the wagon, "I'll go observe the area. Makesure we don't have any problems."

I don't wait for him to answer as I push away low branches out of my face with my hands and carefully step over patches of thorns. Venturing deeper into the woods that was off the trail we've been following.

"Can never accept myself for what I am. Thats impossible. Im a murderer. How can one accept themself as a murderer?" I ramble under my breath.

I come to a stop as I feel tears starting to sting my eyes and threaten to fall as thoughts of how much I hate myself rings through my head.

I wipe the tears away quickly. "Ugh, why am I crying? Im not even sad!" I scowl.

I look up at the sky or atleast what I can make out of it with groups of trees blocking it out with their leaves searching for any sort of comfort.

Then I hear a grunt from nearby. I turn back towards where I came from. "Aaron?" I call out, "You okay?"

Silence.

Feeling suspicious I silently made my way back to the river. Pushing away the low branch I had earlier and immediately spot Aaron lying on the ground unconscious. Sword knock out of his hand and Bently being restrain by a man in all black.

Before I could even think I feel something hard slam into the back of my skull and I black out.

***
"Ughh," I moan. My head pounds and my eyes stay shut as yelling and hoots of celebration fill my ears. The scent of multiple man was enough to make me snap out of my daze and open my eyes.

We were somewhere dark in which it took a moment for my eyes to adjust. Somewhere the shouts of men echo in the air and shadows dance across the walls. A cave.

I immediately see the bonfire with seven men huddle together. Scouring through packs of food and supplies like children recieving gifts. My eyes widen when I see my red cloak toss to the ground.

I watch helplessly as one man dumps a bag of beakers and burners to the ground. Not carrying about their delicacy. All things Aaron was going to use to somehow replicate Lake Tristan.

Aaron. Wheres Aaron?

Just as I thought of him his voice echos through the cave as he yell angrily, "Stop that! They're fragile!" I spot him by the bonfire. They had him tied up to a wooden post. "Release us and I'll be sure that my father knows nothing of this."

One man laughs as he crushes a beaker under his boot purposely. "Oh we will let you go, but perhaps not alive." His friends lets out a group of belly laughs behind him.

I try to get up, but I sink back to the hard ground; thats when I notice the silver shackles on my feet. I can feel them restraining my hands behind my back. I seethe in pain as the silver burns my skin.

"Rieka?" a familiar voice speaks. A voice I haven't heard since I first shifted. I look up to see a man tied up just like me on the opposite side of the cave. "How'd you get into this mess?"

I pretend to sound surpise, "Wow you're not hiding in Axel's shadow anymore! Why? Did he got tired of your kiss-ups, Uncle?"

*******
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