Chapter 1: Some where deep within the forest

Ever since I have known myself, I have always been here somewhere deep within the forest just me and my mamma. I have never met anyone other than her nor have I ever exited the forest. At the age of 16, I have always been curious as to why we never leave the forest and so one day I asked my mamma.

"It's safer here," she would always say, not giving me any valid reason as to why; until my interest in asking her again eventually fades away.

"Nala," I heard my mamma called me softly from outside.

"I'm coming ma...," I answered as I exit the small house, we had called our home for years.

The house we lived in was made from pieces of board and the roof was made from rusty old zinc that would sometimes leak whenever it rains. Our home only consists of one room and a large straw bed my mother and I shared.

"Please pick two large leaves from the Catalpa tree and carry it to me so I can start sharing supper," My mamma instructed me as she turned the roast fish, she had caught for us at a nearby river with a piece of a sharp stick.

Quickly I did as I was told and went to the tree nearby reaching at the top for two large leaves. I brought them to her and sat on a large round rock watching as she finishes preparing supper outside.

At the front of our house, my mom would start a fire in preparing our meal daily for we did not have any kitchen. We too did not have any bathroom. If we wanted to take a bath, we had to go to the river and if we wanted to defecate, we would go to a spot not too far from our house.

"Here you go Hun," my mamma smiled and said as she gave me my roast fish.

I returned her smile and started to devour the delicious meal she had prepare and watched her as she sat on the ground beside me.

"Do you want my seat?" I asked her; wanting her to sit on the rock instead of the ground.

"No Hun, you don't need to," she answered.

"No mamma please take my seat," I begged her until we changed spots.

My momma was a beautiful she-wolf within her 40's. She has long brown hair that was as dark as walnut wood. She was not long nor was she short she was of the perfect height. Her eyes were light brown. She has beautiful eyes. I on the other hand was a twin of my mother except for my hair it was very curly. My mom would always tell me I have my father's hair. I would always smile whenever she said that and wanted to know more about my father, but I was afraid to ask more of him. Seeing the sadness within her eyes on the way she described my father. It was too much for her to handle and so I prevented myself from ever asking her about him.

My body jumped as I heard the thunder.

"It's going to rain soon," we must go inside my mamma told me.

Completing my meal, I threw away the leaf. Soon the rain had started to fall a little.

"Let's go inside quickly," my mamma ordered me.

We both ran inside and closed the rusty zinc door behind us as the rain begins to pour heavily. I went to sit on our straw bed. It was extremely comfortable to sleep on, other than wearing clothes my mamma made from leaves which would sometimes itch. Mamma laid beside me as we both stare into each other eyes. I smiled at her. I did not care about how we lived. I was happy we had each other.

"I can't wait to be 18 tomorrow," I told my mom excitedly.

My mamma would always tell me when I turn 18; I would become an adult and would no longer be a child. It may be stupid not being able to wait until I was 18 but I knew once I am, mamma could not stop me from staying too long in the river or being a little too far from the house for I was now an adult. Sadness covered my heart as I saw within my mamma brown eyes great worries.

"What is wrong mamma?" I inquired her worried.

She turned her back to me sadly.

I sat up immediately the minute and rested one of my hands on her shoulder worried.

"I have something I have to tell you, Nala," I heard my mom said, while I heard tears within her voice.

"What is it, mamma?" I inquired her frighteningly.

"Tomorrow is the full moon," she said softly.

I did not understand what she meant about tomorrow being a full moon for I knew and have always seen whenever there is a full moon so what did she mean by it; why was tomorrow's full moon starting to bother her now; I worried.

"I know mamma," I answered her.

I then heard her burst out into tears and sat up. I was even more worried seeing her within this strange behavior. Dwelling with my mother for year's I cannot ever remember seeing her cry. The rain pours heavily on the roof as if it wanted to deafen me, but still, I could hear my mother crying.

I hugged her from behind and too started to cry.

"You're scaring me, mamma," I told her terrified.

"I don't want to lose you tomorrow," she cried out even more as she turned around holding me in her arms.

I stare within her tearful eyes while I continued to cry and spoke to her softly.

"You're not going to lose me, mamma," I told her as I hugged her tightly.

My mamma held my face and stare deeply into my eyes.

"The full moon is going to allow the evil alpha to kill you," my mamma said terrifyingly.