The Raven - Born Of The Earth

Once we reached the clearing, the view in front of me awed me at the same time, something in me told me that there was something so wrong with it. I could see a lot of people out in the field, man, women and Children alike. But they were all on their knees probably forced by the mans or the man like wolves that stood behind them either surrounding them in a protective barrier or imprisoning them. But I think it was the latter.

As their eyes looked our way, some men on their knees started growling and tried getting up. But the men behind them forced them back down on their knees, either pushing their shoulders back down or kicking them when they tried to fight back. That confirmed that I was in fact correct. These people were forced out here. But I still didn’t know why.

When we got closer to them. The man from before changed back to his human form and got dressed followed by the rest except for the wolf holding me. The man went back to picking Aya up by her hair. But this time, Aya didn’t let a single sound escape her tightly sealed lips. But pain was very visible on her face. He held his arm out, the one that was holding Aya so, she was facing everyone, and he got all the attention he needed regardless.

“Everyone. See here. This.” He said pointing his free hand at Aya. “I have your little Alpha in my hands now.”

“I will free her of this life now so we can all live in peace. Together. Happily.” He said it out loud. A declaration for the rest. An evil smirk very clear on his face unveiling whatever promises his words held.

Everyone gasped and let out cries or growls expressing both their fear and anger. Still having no clue what was going on and with the amount of blood lost, I was dazed. With the little words that I learnt from Aya and the feelings I was getting, I knew that nothing good was about to happen.

“And now you shall all witness the end of your old pack.” The man announced. “From today onward, there will be no more Deep Red pack. I shall wipe the last Alpha blood of this pack and be your new Alpha.”

“I ask you all present here to witness the end of the old era and the beginning of a new one.” He raised his free hand in the air for all to see. Slowly his fingernails elongated into long sharp claws. The people kneeling was now fighting with the men holding them to get to Aya. I could hear the baby’s discomfort, the women’s fear and the man’s rage. I don’t know how. I don’t know why.

Then I could see Aya’s face from the side where I was once again pinned to the ground. She was biting her lips to stop her cries that was begging to slip out of her mouth. The Aya I knew was not this. She would cry on the smallest pain. But now I could clearly see her eyes, they were that of a leader and right now they were pleading them to stop. She had no fear in them, she wanted to be brave for the people. Her people. Her prayers were for them. Their lives.

It all happened too quickly. The people started screaming no’s and struggled to be free. The man holding Aya was laughing hysterically. He stopped laughing, his lips slowly curling up into an evil grin as he bought his lethal claws down on Aya. Just as he was about to slash Aya’s chest, the time stopped for me.

I wanted this to stop. No, I wanted to stop this! I felt a force. An energy so strong within me. Just waiting for me to unleash it. I started shaking violently. Now all I could see was white. My need to save Aya was making me crave for more power. And I searched for that power within me. I saw bright white light at the end of it. I felt it. I knew it. It was mine.

Whatever this was, it belonged to me. So, I ran towards it. But I felt it coming to me at the same time. More like something running towards me. And as I got closer, I saw it. I saw her. A persona of pureness, matted with white fur, blending into the light. I knew her. She was my strength. She was my power. She had just been sleeping inside me just waiting to be awakened. As she got to me, she submerged in me. We became one. And I felt her in me. Agnes.

My eyes got clearer and I literally felt them glow. The scene before me unfolded. His hand was now almost on her, a mere centimetre away from her chest. It then started drawing a thin line of blood down her body. I was beyond furious. Everything around me was mute for I could not hear the cries of the people or the roaring laughter of the man. All I could hear was the silent prayer on Aya’s eyes.

Then I felt it. I felt myself shifting as a loud animalistic growl left my lips. Everyone and everything stopped. Even the wind stopped blowing for a second. For all their attention was now shifted towards the roaring sound that was coming off me. At this point the wolf above me was having a hard time containing me to the ground. A few bones cracked on my back as if it was forcing to pop out. Then I felt my legs, arms and spine elongate. But I felt no pain. All I felt was Agnes and her fury begging to be let free so she could rip those man’s apart.

All those people who stopped struggling had their entire focus solely on me now. Their faces clear with confusion but also with fear? The wolf who was pinning me was now a few feet apart, baring its fangs at me. I had managed to push him off me. Unlike them I was standing on my two feet. To me it seemed as if I was taller than them and I stood looking down at those huge beasts. Then I looked down, I saw my legs covered in white furs. My feet elongated, strong, bones outlining the thin skin and my nails sharp as a claw.

I had no time to be surprised at the turn of events as I looked around me, then all I saw was red. I could see far clearer than my human eyes did. I felt a surge of energy inside of me. And I felt a bloodthirsty Agnes begging to be free. When my eyes landed back to a pained Aya, I set her free.

My feet/paws shuddered as it hit the ground. I was fast. Unbelievably fast. It held a destructive force. In no time, I was face to face with the man holding Aya. I let out a furious snarl before I lunged for its neck, giving him no time to react. I tasted the warm salty blood as my sharp elongated canines punctured through his neck. I bit him hard and yanked his head off his shoulder, disconnecting it from the rest of his body.

I threw his head off before the people as loud gasps escaped everyone’s lips. In shock. In horror. Then I faced the rest of the man as someone of them started to shift. I let out a thunderous growl before I lunged for all of them. I wiped their existence off the planet as I ripped and tore each and everyone’s limbs and head. I stomped my paws on the last wolf as it lay beneath me. I growled at it before I ripped half the piece of his neck that held his head to his body. A few seconds later he laid still as life left his body. I let out a howl of victory, of the end of my bloodlust phase, that I was sane again. At least for now.

I breathed heavily and shook my head couple of times. I turned to where Aya stood and made my way towards her. When I stood before her, she gave a soft smile and held her hand out. She gently brushed my arms as I stood a lot taller than her now. The people stood still. Their face held terror on them as they watched me. Their hands joined together, relying on each other to wake them from their nightmare that had me in it.

“You saved me. You saved us all.” Aya said loud enough for everyone to hear. A sweet smile plastered on her now bruised and bloodied face.

“You clearly are different than the rest of us. I don’t think it was a coincidence that we met. I believe you were meant to be our saviour.” Then she looked into my eyes as she held my hand, “I am not scared of you. I don’t fear you. I know you mean no harm to us now.” Aya says to help ease people’s fear and doubt on a beast like me. No one agreed but no one interrupted or disagreed either.

“The Alpha in me feels ashamed that I could not even protect my own pack. And I hate myself for that. But I am so grateful to you. Thank you.” She whispers. Her teeth elongate and she bites the flesh on her hand. Blood trickles around her hand as she holds it forward.

“I, Aya Boyce, the last of the Alpha blood of the Deep Red pack, with my blood, I pledge my loyalty to you. Although you are strong, I shall be your shield and your sword. Even death will have to go through me before they even reach you.

“I know I am nothing now, but I will train hard. I will be the strongest one out there. From this day forth, there will no longer be Deep Red pack. I will no longer carry the name Boyce.

Aya. I will just be called Aya, for my life is forever in your debt.”

I understood the feelings rather than the meaning of the words spoken. Having someone as proud as Agnes, I stood with my head high as they all knelt before me. For their Alpha had declared her loyalty to a beast now. I barely understood anything, but I clearly understood her feelings. Too scared to follow their Alpha with a beast, her pack decided to disperse as their Alpha had dismissed the pack itself.

And I doubt they were keen on following a child Alpha and a beast of a killing maniac. But before they left, they all vowed to never speak of a word that took place. And I know they would never utter a word, maybe it’s their sign of showing gratification for saving their life or maybe its fear they felt from my presence and the look on my face. Maybe it’s both. That day I left with Aya back to the woods. The deepest, darkest woods.

Born with no name, Aya blessed me with one. As we often heard the ravens croak in the part of the woods that we choose to reside, Aya decided that with hair as black as raven and eyes as green as the deepest forest, she would call me Amara Raven. And that’s how the Raven came to be known. Or unknown still.

A girl born with no name. A girl left to die. I found a reason to live other than to survive. I got a name. An identity other than just another animal roaming the woods. I got a friend. A sister. A family to protect. I found my home with Aya. And the story of Amara Raven began.