1. A Runaway Rogue.

•DECADES LATER•

¶Dark Sapphire Forest ¶

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Astrid's POV 

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I walked out of the hut rubbing my eyes and stood still, taking my environment in. My eyes widened at the sight before me, my lips parted, became dry and my whole being turned pale.

"What are you doing?" 

I heard Mother ask distracting me from this dilemma. My head jerked towards her immediately alarmed. Only that it was not a dilemma...it was real.

 I stood unmoved as I stared at the whole community go wild. Everyone was running helter-skelter.

It's like they were trying to pack up and escape somewhere.

"Mo…mother". I called as she stood in front of me looking at me with those eyes…I deciphered worry or was it fear? I never, not even once saw that on Mother's face. She then held me by the shoulders.

"Go, Astrid". She pleaded but I shook my head as tears welled up in my eyes. 

"Wh…what is happening mother? And...and why should I go? Wh...where should I go to?". I asked looking in one of her eyes before the other. I wanted answers.

"Just listen to me, Astrid". She panted and quickly looked behind her. "Whatever happens, don't let anyone get a hold of you. Don't let anyone see you. Just keep on running".

I remained silent and shut my eyes, letting the tears fall freely out of them. I only opened them after I finally got what Mother was saying. Was she trying to tell me that I would no longer be with her? Was the community in some kind of danger?

"Th...then come with me mo…mother". I suggested. "Let's…let's leave this place to…together, let's…"

"Astrid". Mother yelled and immediately closed her eyes, exhaling heavily. She opened them back. "Listen Astrid". She sounded calmer this time around. "I can't leave because I am responsible for everyone here. I am a mother figure to all".

Mother was right. She was a mother figure and cared for everyone. She wasn't the oldest but still took responsibility for everything in the community. I perfectly understood what my mother was saying. But I still couldn't leave without her.

"I...I can help". I whispered.

"You're not listening, Astrid". Mother shook me a little. "Please, listen to me and leave. Promise me you'll be safe".

I sniffed and nodded reluctantly. "I...I promise Mother. Will…will you also be safe?".

She wiped my tears and nodded then she pecked my forehead.

"Here, take this". She said, handing me a little cotton fabric. I retrieved it looking at her. "It's the napkin I used when you were still a baby". She smiled wiping away her tears.

"Mo…ther". My mouth quivered.

"I love you, Astrid, remember. I'll always be a mother to you".

With that, she turned me around and slightly pushed me towards the direction leading to the open fields.

I turned to look at her and she immediately wiped her tears and gave me a small smile.

"Go!"

She mouthed and waved me away. I wanted to run back to her, so I took a step forward but a scream stopped me in my tracks.

"The ghost pack are attacking the community". Someone yelled.

Mother immediately turned away from me. My heart was pounding loudly in my chest. How did the Ghost pack get a hold of our whereabouts?

I took slow and steady steps backwards then turned away shedding tears as I made for the open fields while clutching the fabric tightly in my hand.

I just fled, running away with no particular destination in mind. Tears kept running down my cheeks as I thought about my community. We were rogues and there was no way anyone would help us. I wished I could help and I wished there was something we could do.

The other rogues had a poison to suppress their scent and to diminish their powers. Even Mother had done that to be safe and hide away. But here I was, fleeing away. I had not taken the poison but my powers were yet to come to life. I suddenly felt useless.

I was at least, old enough to have my powers but they were yet to be uncovered. Soon, my legs gave up on me and I fell to the ground panting heavily.

"Ha...have I come far?". I asked myself turning behind to stare at the direction I had come from. I felt like I had been running for hours but it was barely up to an hour.

"I...I need to find a secluded place to rest. I'll... I'll continue when I regain energy". I got up and moved my shaky legs to a large tree. I crawled behind it and sat down supporting my back against it.

I brought my knees to my chest and hugged it tightly as I closed my eyes, feeling the cool breeze against my skin. I smiled feeling all the stress evaporate from my body and taken away by the breeze.

My eyes flattered open after half an hour and I looked about me, straining my eyes to take in my surroundings in the dark of the night. I held onto my pendant and rubbed it subtly.

My stomach suddenly grumbled loudly and I rubbed my hand over it through the thin layer of fabric I was wearing.

"Wh…why does my stomach hurt so much? I…I think I need to get something_ to eat". I mumbled getting up. I moved gently trying hard to lessen the creaking sound of the dry woods under my bare feet.

As I walked deeper into the forest, the cold wind danced around me making me shiver. I hugged myself and kept moving.

My stomach grumbled occasionally as my eyes kept searching for food…anything edible at least.

"Who...who would've thought being hungry would hurt this much. It's…it's as though my insides are being twisted". I uttered wearily.

A while passed before I came face-to-face with a harvest of wild berries. I quickly tied the cotton fabric mother had given me around my neck and squatted before the harvest. Then I stretched out my hand to pluck a wild berry but retracted it instantly.

"No, no, no". I told myself getting up and stepping backwards. "It...it doesn't belong to me, it'll be wrong to take it. R-right?". I asked myself and bit my lower lip.

I quickly gave my back to the wild berries and placed a hand over my growling stomach again. I turned my face to the side, looking over my shoulders at the wild berries. I swallowed trying hard to suppress my cravings.

"It…it won't hurt to take just a little". I rationalized. "Who...whoever owns this will understand me".

I quickly turned and went towards the wild berries kneeling before them. I plucked one and threw it into my mouth.

My eyes bulged slightly as I chewed on it then I picked another.

Suddenly, I found myself picking the wild berries and tossing them into my left hand.

"Wh-when I return to the community tomorrow, I'll share some with mother".

I continued plucking but the wild berries in my hand soon became too much that I had to pour some onto my dress.

I popped one into my mouth again.

"Hey!".

I heard someone yell behind me and the wild berry went straight into my throat. I hadn't even chewed it yet.

"Capture her!"

That made me freeze in that position. I stayed there unmoved such that I couldn't even look back. My chest pounded painfully in my chest either due to the full wild berry that had gone down my throat or because I was wondering if the rogue attackers had gotten ahold of me.

Nothing else came to mind except… Run, Astrid.

I jolted up to my feet and before I could take a step, I felt a sharp pain on my neck and then everything went pitch black.