As the sun rose above the tree line, I wake up to hear shouts and cries to war. The whizz then thunk of arrows as they make contact with the walls and doors. The alpha through the pack link ordering people to grab kids and young infants and run into the forest. I hastily brush the hair from my face as I jump out of bed, grabbing my teddy making a dash down the hall to my parents room.

"Grab Rosie and get to the oak, NOW!" A demanding voice comes from downstairs, my dad is hiding behind a stone wall making sure me and my mum get out the door safely before shifting into his wolf and charging towards the commotion. He is a strong warrior and although in the lower ranks of the pack, just as fearsome as some of the alphas personal guards.

I can now hear howls and footsteps move past the house, warriors and able hands are heading to the front line. In the direction of the large gate that leads to the main roads. Next thing I know I'm swept up, and being hastily carried towards the woods, I watch the sight of wolves and men grow small as yelps and whimpers can be heard from fights and arrows hitting their target.

-.-.-.-

Before I know it I am in the woods, the smell of the estate and blood fading as my mum carries me away. I can smell others around us as we flee, a family from down the road a small way, and some others that smell like upper rank families who got warned earlier that have already travelled this way. I shuffle in my mums arms and find comfort on her back, allowing her to balance better as she traverses terrain. Roots and bushes threaten to halt our progress as they snag clothes and hook her feet as she skips past them. Being a wolf makes it slightly easier, with the agility and heightened senses.

We start to see and smell other families, wives and kids of all ages. Resting and waiting to see who else makes it to the clearing. They look and growl as they hear my mums footsteps approaching, but stop as they see my mum jog into the clearing breathing heavily. She relaxes and looks around at all the faces before dropping me with other kids to chat with the adults. I can hear worry and hushed conversation as they discuss our options, I don't think our options are good but I try to keep my cool as I hug my teddy.

-.-.-.-

Howls are heard a while later as we continue our walk towards the boarder, we get a demand from the alpha to leave the lands, Its not good. We can't stay here. We are scooped up by anyone that can carry a child, some are tired and wont be able to move as fast if they carry someone. My mum is one of them. We make a valiant charge towards the boundary, staying quiet and dodging around the trees. We communicate through the pack link, making sure everyone is keeping together.

*Julia will take care of you, be good and I will see you soon!* my mum sends through the link, She sounds sad but is trying not to project it, I try to turn around but a swift dodge to the side to avoid a tree has me hugging tighter to the person who is carrying me. I hear pops and snarls before a small pack wolves loop around the larger pack and head back towards the oak. The footsteps behind us stop and the remaining pack picks up the pace. I hear yelps and whines and screams as something happens behind us, quite a distance back but clear to the ears. We continue the charge as we encounter the pack lands boarder, a small bit of hesitance can be sensed as we all cross into unknown territory. My mum and the other wolves don't follow, I hope they are ok.

-.-.-.-

Days and nights pass as we hunt and travel to escape the following wolves, at some point they must have given up as there scent fades and we can no longer pick them up on the wind. We decide its safe to head to a nearby clearing. We find a pack house that hasn't been used in a while, moss and vines have claimed the exterior. Nests in gutters and smashes windows, greet the eyes as we cautiously walk closer sniffing the air.

Scents have faded and dust has settled on the floor and remaining furniture. The parents drop us outside with a few adults to make sure others haven't followed as they map and secure the inside of the house. I can hear shouting as they ask if anyone is home, but pigeons and sparrows fly out of open windows, and nearby rabbits scurry into the bush. After a few minutes of this we are whisked inside and into a room on the second floor, large enough to fit us all comfortably. The house seems to be sturdy and safe to walk around in. Its been taken care of in previous years.

One of the adults find a map and some unknown keys in the kitchen, they are dusty and covered in rust but must belong to something. Our location is marked along with distances to the nearby villages. The women start coming up with a plan to get food and water, and decide to send a few to get some food while others start to clean up a few rooms so we don't have to sleep in the dust. A few older kids help as they start to grab brooms or help move the furniture by the time they get back a few rooms are ready to be slept in.

In a few hours 5 of the rooms were clear, swept dusted and washed with water from a nearby creek. We found a locked shed with house hold tools and a few buckets. Mattresses and blankets were scavenged and cleaned, dried and dusted for a somewhat comfy night sleep and bellies full with what the adults were able to buy and hunt on the way to some shops. We were safe, in an area we didn't know, surrounded by packs that didn't know us.

Life was gonna be hard but at least we were safe and together.