CHAPTER ONE
"We should head home" Scarlet heard Miranda's voice as the wood began to grow dark around us. She could see the tightness around Carrisa's mouth, the barely suppressed anger under the thick black cloak.
Sensing that the rest were not ready to leave, Scarlet gathered some firewood. She lit it with her lighter.
"When is the so called shadow going to emerge?" Miranda asked, shivering as she clutch tightly to her perch. They sat down around the burning flame. It was the period where a warrior from a random pack will be picked from a random pack and join the mission in increasing security for the elite werewolf. They were sitting in an open field. On their body was a paddled leather armour. There were five. Only Jenny wore a helmet.
"Just leave if you are not interested" the question was directed to nobody in particular but Shirley answered instead.
"I'm less concerned about this. I'm so excited, I can't wait to fight whatever shadow is coming". Fel giggled. She was the fifth person and she was grinning from ear to ear.
"Not like you would get the position" Shirley growled. She was known for being ambitious and would stop at nothing to get what she wanted.
Miranda wiped the beads of sweat already forming on her forehead. Even in the cold, she was feeling hot. She also wants to be chosen. It was every girls' dream. The fear of what shadow might appear keeps weighing her. She moves closer to Scarlet who paid little or no attention to them. She was not interested in becoming a warrior for the elite werewolves and she didn't hide it.
The elite werewolves are a group of alphas and the Darklord, who is often regarded as the Alpha of the Alphas. His powerful aura intimidates any other werewolf. His voice was said to be deep, alluring and husky. Every Alpha bows for him. The elite groups are made up of fallen and aged Alphas. They are mostly at the mercy of their warriors. Except of course, the dark lord.
"What if I get to protect the Darklord?" Fel asked, with a serious face. Her black hooded eyes and fangs, ready to attack whoever argues with her.
"Wait?" Scarlet stopped them all of a sudden. She was not interested in the drama and she cared less. She sniffed the air and everyone looked at her weirdly. "I can smell someone" she paused, "it's not human. I really can't put my hand on whatever it is" she concluded.
They stood up quickly. They knew better than to argue with her. Her sense of smell is the sharpest amongst them. Their sense of smell only gets sharp in their wolf form but while in the human form, Scarlet's sense of smell beats theirs. They once ignored her observation and got attacked by some rogues.
They are the warriors protecting the Blood Moon Pack. They are one of the best warriors in the pack with everyone having a special talent.
"What if…" Miranda wanted to yell but her voice betrayed her. It came out as a whisper.
They all knew what she wanted to say.
The shadow.
Since they would be protecting the Elites, fighting the shadow is a test they have to pass through. Winning against the Shadow is not the only criteria. They would go through their past data, the bravest and fearless of each pack would be chosen. And again, they have to pick just one person.
Scarlet eyes swept back and forth over the abandoned campsite. Only the warriors use it, they work on shifts which make them few at the moment. Once they leave, another group will take over protecting the camp. Her eyes stopped at a double bladed battle axe. Not knowing what to expect, she picked it up.
A shadow emerged from the dark of the wood. It stood in front of Shirley. Tall, it was, and giant and hard as old bones, with fresh pale as milk. Its armour seemed to change color as it moved; here it was as white as new fallen snow, there black as shadow, everywhere dapped with the Green grey of the trees. The pattern ran like moonlight on water with every step it took.
"Come no farther" Miranda yelled. Her voice cracked. She threw the cloak over her shoulder to free her arms for the battle and took her swords in both hands. Though she was scared. There was no option than to fight.