Chapter 2. Just Another Day

Talia left her house and turned right onto the street. She enjoyed walking to school. It was peaceful and beautiful. Each season had its own particular beauty. At the moment the trees were dense and lush with varying shades of green adding dimension , shade and light to every small area.

She tried not to dwell on the dream as she steadily walked along, but it kept snaking through her mind. Who was that wolf? Did they have something to do with her past?

Shaking her head, Talia focused her thoughts on school instead. She was naturally gifted academically although she put this down to her love of reading. When she wasn't training, she was in the library absorbing all the knowledge that being  alone granted her.

Growing up in the pack was not the same as being born into it. All the people her age were brought up together and Talia being an outsider, made them wary of her. The bond was not there as it was for them. She didn't fight it and kept to herself.

Although this seemed like a lonely existence it allowed Talia to nurture her love of medicines and herbal remedies. She often went to the outskirts of the forest to look for new plants.

The forest was endless, impenetrable and diverse. Its canopy was ruled by pine, yew and hickory. The crowns of the trees allowed short beams of light through to descend down to the many variety of ferns to grow below. Vines and curving climbing plants clung to the trees. A mishmash of flowers of all colours and sizes were dotted around, some of which were abundant while others took a keen eye to find. A tumult of sounds, mainly birdsong, added life to the forest and overpowered the trickling sounds of the gentle stream flowing through it.

Talia hadn't even began to explore it in its entirety, her mother and father warned her not to venture to far on her own, at least until she was able to shift and communicate with her wolf.

As her thoughts were filled with the desire to meet her wolf, she realised that she'd already arrived at the gates to the school.

It was quite a modern 2-story building that looked almost out of place in its otherwise old fashioned surroundings. The town itself had the feeling of another time, a place in history that didn't want to move forward. Talia loved that about the place she had called home for the majority of her life.       

    

Morning classes passed by without incident. English followed by pack politics. An easy start to the day for Talia, she took notes but her mind still wandered back to the forest and the treasures it held.

At lunch she grabbed a chicken salad, apple and a bar of chocolate, along with a bottle of soda. The sun was shining so she wound her way through the crowds of students in the grounds and found a secluded spot in the shade of some trees to sit and eat.

Talia pulled a book on plants and their uses out of her bag and immersed herself in it. She was so engrossed that she failed to notice the two girls coming to stand in front of her.

"Does your nose ever get sore being stuck in a book like that?", the tall, blonde girl asked. Her eyes were full of contempt for Talia even though she had never done anything to her except for existing.

"Ha! Good one Rose. Yeah, I bet your nose could do with a rest.", the shorter of the two laughed and snatched the book out of Talia's hands.

Rose snorted at her friends actions. "Ayla! Come on now, you know you're taking her only friend away. How cruel." There was no hint of anger in Rose's admonishment of her friend. Her smirk was goading Talia to retaliate, something that Rose had yet to achieve.

"It's fine. Thank you for thinking of me Ayla. I could do with a rest actually." Talia spoke calmly and quietly. She didn't want them to see how upset and angry she was deep down.

Alya's face contorted with rage when she heard Talia's reply, "I wasn't trying to be nice, you stupid dog! Do you not know what sarcasm is?", she raged.

"Ayla enough. Clearly she wasn't taught by her parents how to defend herself..... She doesn't even know who her parents are." Rose snatched up the bottle of soda at Talia's side as she spoke those cruel words and poured it slowly over Talia's head.

"Oopsie! Did they not teach you manners either. Look at the mess you've made.....dirty dog!" Ayla spoke up again this time.

Talia stared into the ground as if there was nothing else on earth as fascinating as that patch of grass. She would not let them see her cry. She would not let them beat her.

The bell rang just as they were going to start another verbal assault. Thank the goddess. Talia slowly got up and gathered her belongings.

It was combat training next, time for Talia to vent some of her frustration and hurt that was now threatening to consume her.

She made he way over to the training ground and changed into a sports bra and shorts. She strapped her hands and wrists in preparation to fight.

Talia really did look at a disadvantage to the others waiting to train. She was slight, her tiny waist could almost be held in two hands. Her stomach was toned and flat and her slender arms didn't give away how much power they held.

The other girls were taller and thicker than her. All toned with obvious muscle. The guys were broad and muscular as all wolves were in their human form.

Talia trained hard but didn't show her full potential off in front of them. She didn't want to put a target on her back or draw unnecessary attention to herself. Today, however, she was ready to reveal a little bit more of herself.

Just a little....