My life is going to end today. In the depths of Amber. And there was nothing I could to stop this.

It was black, there was absolutely no way of getting through the thick patches of brush. But of
course that happened to be what I was shooting for something I could never achieve. Thorns
ripped the skin on my face as I tried to move through the overcoming darkness. A stick
shattered under my heavy feet. The bushes shook. I could tell it was from a long ways away, it
was slowed by the plethora of brush in its path of reaching me. Thats when I saw it, the fur
covering its hide, now just feet away. Even though it was dark, I could just make out the fangs
that engulfed its mouth. I began to pant and heave for the air that was avoiding my lungs.
Hello? I called.
No answer, at least in words, a growl escaped the grey beasts mouth. I paced away, trying
not to provoke the animal by running. Then I stopped. Out behind the darkness of this retched
place, I saw glint of light slicing through the darkness. I gasped louder than I meant to,
immediately putting my hand over my mouth, silently thinking about what had shook the bushes.
I shifted one foot behind the other until I was just feet away from the light that shone through the
dim span of plant, forgetting about my encounter with the beast. I still could not clearly see what
is was that grabbed my attention yet. I inched closer, intensely listening for movement.
Kilana somebody moaned. I could feel the ache in their raspy voice. It was Corina,
my best friend back in my village. How did they bring her here? Why? Then, a screech from
what I presumed to be the grey fluff of fur. All of the thoughts swarming in my head suddenly
stopped when I came to a final decision. I would do anything and everything to keep her safe.
Corina? I yelled. Anyone or anything in a mile's radius could hear me.
Help she squeaked out. She sounded horrible. But I had heard sounds like that before, back
in the forest of hills by my old village, after I shot an animal that hadnt died first off- A sound
only from something that was suffering.
I burst through the brush and the thorns continued to tear at my face. I ran until I couldnt
anymore, there was still no way of telling where I was. I was running into the nothingness. Thats
all I had done all of my life. Run into the unknown for something I would never find.
Corina where are you?! I screamed. The sound that answered was nothing of Corinas ability,
then my mind shifted back to the fur. It came from the direction opposite of where I was running.
It rumbled the ground I stood on. So I continued to run.
After what felt like centuries of being out of breath, I stopped. I just fell. My mind was blank
and I was tired. Tired of being here, tired of being alone, tired of longing for something I could
never obtain. I crawled, breath shortening with each movement, until I heard another wail. This
time much closer to me, or as far as I knew close. Corina laid in front of my shaking knees.
Corina, oh my god, are you okay? I breathed. She let out a small sigh as her hands flattened
against the ground and her chest dropped. That was when I put my hand over my mouth as I
sank into the pool of blood around me. She was missing the lower half of her body.
I backed up, my hands full of blood, eyes full of tears, and ran into something firm and warm.
Another blood soaked body grabbed me by the hair as I begged for my life. In his hand, the
chain that held the grey beast, what I now realized was a humongous wolf. It snarled as I spoke.
What did you do?! I screamed, tears still stinging my eyes.
You did this, Kilana. The unknown voice said deeply with a hint of sympathy. Then it
registered. The flames, the blood, the bodies. I had done this. I had killed my best friend. I had
killed my family. I had killed everyone and everything I knew. And I had to pay.