I ran along the path, looking for some place to hide. I was only five years old at the time, and terrified. It was the middle of winter, the snow fresh and powder-like. It crunched beneath my satin slippers loudly. My breaths made little puffs of steam, reminding me of smoke. My mind immediately flew into a worried state, as I thought about dragons inhabiting this place. Up above me, I could have sworn I saw the dark outline of a scaled, winged beast scanning the canopy above.

I hurried on, hoping and praying that I wouldn't get eaten or roasted alive.

I glanced back over my shoulder, searching for him. I spotted his dark figure, pursuing me like my own shadow. I pressed deeper into the wood, the birch trees menacing and ghost-like in the light of the moon. Each one looked exactly the same.

I tripped, sliding headfirst into a snow bank. My fingers, face, and toes felt numb. My slippers were no longer shields from the cold; they were completely soaked through. I rubbed my feet frantically, trying desperately to warm them up enough to regain at least some feeling.

"You can't escape your fate, Graciela!"

He advanced upon me, frighteningly close.

Forgetting how numb they were, I struggled to my ice-cold feet. I scrambled up the snow bank and pressed deeper and deeper into the woods. I ran through the white wilderness, my feet faltering a couple of times, but I didn't fall. My heart pounded inside of my chest.

"Mommy! Daddy! HELP ME!!!" I screamed, the snow muffling my desperate cries for help. Unfortunately, my parents would never live to hear me.

I heard heavy paws on the snow behind me. I looked over my shoulder and spotted the lion; a giant beast hunting me down, as if I were merely an insignificant mouse for it to chase for pleasure. It's jaws were open, looking forward to a midnight snack.

I turned back around and collided with a wall of rubble and stone. With growing terror, I realized this wall that seemed to rise up forever was once one of the many walls that made up my once-elegant home. I gasped, tears quickly filling my eyes. Before I could run to see if my parents were all right, I heard a low, growling sound. I whipped around. The lion was stalking toward me; its owner was not far behind.

"I hope you've learned that you can never run away from the dark. You never run away from me!" He cackled evilly.

I looked around wildly. "Mommy, Daddy, SOMEBODY, HELP ME!!!!" I screamed so loudly it felt as if my lungs would collapse under the strain.

He grinned a twisted smile. "Your parents made a mistake when they underestimated my power, my strength, and my vow for vengeance. Therefore they paid dearly. Mezik took care of them," he said, gesturing to the lion.

In that moment, my head was filled with all kinds of horrific images of my parents being mauled and killed by this cruel creature. I noticed for the first time Mezik's red-stained muzzle, blood dripping grossly from his jowls to the ground, leaving brilliant red drop-marks on the blindingly white snow. My stomach turned.

He made a clicking sound and pointed at me. Mezik crouched, moving his shoulder blades up and down. Then he pounced.

In that moment, my five-year-old mind comprehended that I was about to die the same way my parents had. I squeezed my eyes shut and waited. I didn't know what death would feel like, but I wasn't looking forward to finding out. I waited, but nothing happened. I waited, but death, in its black cloak, did not come to sweep me away from this life. A white blur had sailed over the wall of rubble and caught Mezik, sending him tumbling backwards, all while I stood there, trembling, with my eyes closed.

The lion struggled to his feet and let out an ear-splitting roar. My eyes snapped open at the sound. I looked up, and standing over me protectively, was the largest wolf I had ever seen. I was briefly stricken with fear, but something about this animal made me want to trust him. The wolf stood there, teeth bared and hackles raised. He growled menacingly at Mezik, who was pacing back and forth, searching for some way past the wolf and to me.

Mezik's owner made a clicking sound again, and this time the lion slowly backed away into the shadows.

"This will teach you to get in my way!" he shouted angrily, conjuring a ball of dark magic and purple light in his hands. "From now on, you will endure this life by being forbidden to talk to another human being! You will only be able to communicate with the cursed animals that seem to love you so much! But, if you disregard my warning and choose to speak to another human being in their tongue, your true, horrible, uncontrollable powers will be unleashed!"

He cackled and thrust his hands forward, shooting all of the light and magic at me.

I screamed and put my hands in front of my face. The sensation of my chest being ripped open was more than I could bear. Everything began to fade and become fuzzy. Every sound was muffled, unfocused. But before I drifted into unconsciousness, I saw the wolf. I heard him say, "Don't worry, little one. I will take care of you, now."