Angels of Shadow prologue

“Keep running. I have to keep running!” panted Belle as she tore through the violet crystal forest in the near pitch blackness. She knew not where she was going or what was behind her but she knew she was being chased by something and she had to get away. She risked a look behind her and saw she was being chased by six figures, animals of some sort.   One of them entered the moonlight and Belle saw what was chasing her for the first time. Wolves, fur as black as the night they chased her through. The only thing that alerted Belle to them at first was their strange, amber eyes. Something else was wrong with these wolves though. It was the fact they had a pair of feathered wings, black like their fur. Belle carried on running as fast as she could, barely able to see through her tears. She glanced over her shoulder momentarily and tripped. She scrambled to get up then started to run again but as she turned a corner she found that she was at the lake in the heart of the crystal forest.

“Teardrop Lake! No! I’ve heading in the wrong direction!” cried Belle in despair. She turned around but a figure stood in front of her. She couldn’t see what this person looked like; he stood in the shadows being careful no light hit him. Behind him, the wolves were approaching. The man opened his eyes and Belle nearly fainted with shock. His eyes were exactly like the wolves’, bright amber. Belle couldn’t help but be entranced by them. Still holding Belle, he stepped into the moonlight. Belle peered over his shoulder to see just how close the wolves were but saw something else. This man had black, feathered wings.

“Who and what are you and why are you here?!” Belle asked the man in as brave a voice as she could muster but hearing it out loud, Belle thought her voice sounded slightly pathetic. The man smiled and answered her questions.

“I am Gortail and I am a Forbaith, which roughly translated into your language means angel of the shadows. As for why I’m here, well, I’ll tell you this much. My clan of warriors crashed here and we need help....” Gortail’s eyes turned red, just for a second, then he let go of Belle. But her eyes were amber. Gortail headed off, the wolves in tow. Belle took a step that wasn’t hers. She too now had wings. And was a wolf. Belle had joined the pack and followed Gortail like the others, who had turned towards the lake. He closed his eyes and shifted into a wolf, identical to the others save the fact he was twice as big. He took off, flying over the lake, the pack following. The wolf that was, or is, Belle looked confused, like she wanted to leave but had no control over what she did. The sun was rising and Belle returned to her normal self, eyes still amber. She headed towards the edge of the forest, toward her village, as the rest of the pack changed too and also headed back to the village....