Chapter10

Kassandra I had cried for a while and Lily was trying her best to comfort me but, I couldn't keep the tears from spilling out of my eyes. I started to calm down after a while with me lying down on the ground with Lily resting on her stomach while I rested on the side of her body with my face buried in her fur. "Have you calmed down yet?" "*Sniff*... yeah..." I sat up and I wiped away the last of my tears. "I'm sorry for being like this. All I wanted was to go home and get back to Cassina. My father is the only family I've got and I don't want to lose him." "That's understandable but, maybe, being kidnapped from the castle may have been a good thing." "What would you know? you're a talking animal for crying out loud!" Lily licked away the last of tears and she then said to me. "Not exactly, let me ask you this, have you got any idea how we animals are able to communicate with humans?" I was confused at first until I looked closer into her green eyes. When I did, I saw a human behind the wild animal that I saw in front of me. I jumped back in shock and then I sat on my knees. "So you were...hold still for a moment." I raised my hand and then I concentrated my magic to create a human illusion of Lily and her cubs or rather children. I was surprised when I saw her human form and she looked beautiful. She has long brown hair, green eyes tanned skin and she wore an animal skin top and a knee-length skirt. She looked like she once belonged to a tribe. "Whoa...so that's what you look like..." "So you finally worked it out huh? you're smart just like your mother." "You knew my mother?!" "I did once, my people and I were guardians and we swore to protect Cassina and the royal family but, after your mother died the dragons including us were banished, one of the covens placed a curse on the forest and then we became well...this." Lily told me as she looked at her animal form. "Does that include the werewolves? they're shapeshifters aren't they?" "Yeah but they're also cursed as well. It's true they turn into monsters on the night of the full moon but since they're a part of the forest, they're stuck in their wolf forms. I have been trying to find a way to break free of this curse but, nothing." "But surely there's got to be a way to help you." "I wish there was but, it seems we're stuck in this form until the curse is broken." I was surprised by this and I asked her. "How can I break the curse?" "You can't it is impossible unless you know your way around the forest to get to the witch that was responsible for placing this curse on us in the first place." "Who is she?" "Her name is Katrina and she is your mother's sister." That name sounded very familiar to me and then a sharp pain came into my head and then I saw images of my younger self and my mother together and a woman...it was the same woman I saw in my dream. I snapped out of it once the pain disappeared and then Lily asked me after the illusion of her human form disappeared. "Hey, are you okay?" I shook my head and I looked around and I told her. "I...I think so...Katrina. That name sounds so familiar to me. I feel like I've heard of that name before but...I don't know...my mind feels...foggy...like I had memory loss or something..." "Memory loss? what makes you say that? did you hit your head when you were a child?" "...I'm not sure...when you told me the name of the witch who cursed you, that was when these...images of my past appeared and this woman from the dream I had also appeared...I think she was Katrina." "Are you sure?" "I...I think so but...I don't know, as I said my mind feels foggy." Lily stared at me for a moment and then she told me. "Hmm...it might be a possibility that you could have suffered from memory loss as a child or..." "Or what?" "Something or someone placed a spell on you to make you forget. I don't know who would have done that but, luckily for you, I know where Katrina lives." "You do?!" "Yes, follow me." I got back onto my feet and I followed Lily. We walked through the woods for a while and the fog was getting thicker and thicker. I held her cubs in my arms to make sure they were not going to run away from her and get lost. "Be careful, we're very close to the swamps and the werewolves might be lurking around here. Especially since they know that you're here." "I'll be fine as long as I keep using my invisibility spell. It usually keeps both my appearance and my scent hidden for a while." "That's reassuring to know. Keep moving." "I'm coming but, at least slow down. I've only got two legs." Lily chuckled when I said this and then she came to halt. I watched Lily sniffed the air and I whispered. "What? what is it?" "Werewolves, they're near." The cubs hissed when they heard this and then Lily told me. "Go and hide the cubs, make sure they don't get to them." I nodded my head before I ran over to a tree and placing the cubs in the hole of the tree. "Stay there and don't move from this spot." Luka and Blaze nodded their heads before I cast an invisibility spell around us. I saw four werewolves and they had Lily surrounded. "What do we have here? if it isn't Lily the ex-guardian of the royal family," The leader spoke as he glared at her with a smirk. "Nice to see you again Zeus, I see your ugly face hasn't changed much aside from that new scar I gave you the last time we spoke," Lily taunted him. I heard the cubs snicker and I hushed them. I watched the wolves surround Lily and then Zeus said to her. "Since we're here, do you know if a human girl has passed by here?" "*Giggle* a human? here? don't be silly. There's no way a human can be here. You remember what happened the last time when you tried to eat a human girl." "I would have eaten her if that Dragon hadn't interfered!!" I was shocked by this and then I remembered Liz telling me that she was attacked by a werewolf. Could it be the same one that she told me about? "Heh, no matter, if there's another one, then I'm ready to eat her. Now tell me where she went!" "Never!" "Fine!" Zeus growled and then he and Lily started fighting. The cubs hid in the tree and they huddled close while I stayed hidden behind the bushes. Lily tried to bite Zeus on the neck but he managed to dodge her attack in time. Zeus growled and then he pinned Lily down. "Where is she?!" "I don't know where she went and even if I did! I will not tell you!!" The cubs looked at their mother with fear and worry in their eyes. Luka and Blaze looked at me and begged me. "Kassandra! please do something!" "Help our mommy!" I couldn't stand by and watch this anymore. I didn't want the cubs to suffer the same loss as I did. I came out of the bushes and then I threw a fireball at Zeus. He got off of Lily and then he glared at me. "Leave her alone!" "Kassandra! what do you think you're doing!" Lily shouted in fear. "Ah-ha, there you are. You've been hard to track down. Now stay still, this will hurt, a lot." I smirked at the werewolf and I told him. "Well, if you want a taste me so badly then you're gonna have to catch me first, stupid mutt!!" I taunted him before I took off running. "After her!!" Zeus shouted. "Lily! grab your cubs and run!!" I shouted at her and she nodded her head. "Go through the swamps! they'll be able to lose their scent! good luck and be careful!" Lily shouted one last time before I ran through the swamps. I ran through the water and through the soggy grass. I hid behind a boulder and I saw three of the wolves run by me. I came out of hiding and I sighed in relief but then, I heard growling behind me. "Uh oh," I mumbled before turning around. "Found you!" Zeus shouted before he swung his paw but, I jumped away in time but, he only got the dragon necklace, which was lucky. I took off running again and I thought to myself. 'Oh, brother! why didn't I stay with Drago like I was supposed to?!' 3rd Person Pov As Kassandra ran for her life, one of the earth dragons came out of the ground and then he spotted the dragon necklace on the ground. He sniffed it and then he recognized Kassandra's scent. "Drago! I've found the necklace that Kassandra was wearing! she must be running through the swamps as we speak! I also picked up three no! four werewolf scents! I think she's being chased!" "Dammit! good work, Rex! which direction is she running?!" "She's heading east!" "I'm on my way! try and slow down the werewolves if you can!" "Yes sir!" The earth dragon dived back underground and he followed after the werewolves and Kassandra's scents.