warrior chapter 4

 Chapter 4
     Andrew's breath caught as he saw Katherine's body sail through the trees until he heard a muffled thump as it collided with a tree. He couldn't hear any movement from her, that collision most probably broke her spine with a serious head injury. He had to make sure she was all right and didn't bleed to death. His could feel his blood pump furiously through his veins with his increasing temper. He evaluated his opponent, his gaze searing straight through the beasts red eyes. The creature snarled, his upper lip lifted revealing razor sharp teeth. There it stood, at around five feet in an offensive stance, its head hunched over and tail in the air, like a predator ready to attack its prey.
If not for Andrews enhanced vision, he wouldn't have seen it, its dirty black fur which was missing a few patches, was barely visible in the light of the crescent moon. He reprimanded himself for not scenting the hound sooner, but now that he did, he noticed that it came alone, usually they hunted in packs, kidnapping and killing for food and sport. 
As the mutt pounced, Andrew unsheathed his giant blade, which whooshed amidst the hounds growling and barking. As it closed in, his shadows wrapped around it just before it touched him. He could feel his tattoo like shadows slithering on his skin and the mutts fur as the tendrils wrapped around its neck and squeezed causing the to hound whimper and squirm. The creature had to be decapitated and Andrew made quick work of it. His wider than normal blade shoved through the hounds throat as he retracted his shadows, grunting he twists his sword which severed the head from the body. The hounds body lay on the forest floor, blood gushing out violently from its open throat, coating the forest floor and replacing the fragrance of flowers with its metallic scent. Its head lay a few inches from the body, its now lifeless eyes turning black with its mouth wide open. 
Andrew ignored the gory scene, he had gotten used to such violence and bloodshed. He ran to where Katherine lay, in a panic. He saw her body slumped at the thick trunk of an old oak tree. He sat and scooped her up on his lap. He searched her for open wounds, but strangely he found none, there was no blood. It seemed that her skin hadn't cut anywhere from the encounter, she seemed stronger than he expected, that confirmed that she wasn't human. He lay her on her stomach, the soft grass cushioning her. He removed her cloak and started inspecting her back, he ran a hand over her vertebral column, too concentrated to mull over the fact that touching her as such was inappropriate. A few of her columns seemed to have shifted and he discovered that her shoulder blades had broken. He covered her with her cloak and shifted her onto his arms, one of which were settled under her knees and the other was behind her back, he had to be careful as not to hurt her. He started his journey to his cabin, which he was sure wouldn't take too long.
  Katherine started gaining consciousness, her mind was foggy and her hearing muffled as she heard someone call her name.
"Katherine... Katherine..."she heard a concerned voice. "Wake up.." as someone gently patted her cheeks.
 She could feel soft sheets underneath her, her cheek resting on a feather pillow, she was laying on her stomach. She groaned as she was shifted onto a propped pillow, seating her up. Her head was pounding and her back ached. Her throat was parched, she felt someone placing a glass of water near her lips, she drank slowly, soothing the dryness of her throat. She tried lifting her eyelids, but they felt too heavy. She was laid back, with her head resting on the pillow again. Her head got heavier and she started loosing consciousness again.

Can We Really Change the World?

I was inspired to write this after reading my friend's new post 'Future Job'. The third paragraph is what hit me:

"When I was younger, I wanted to do something that would change the world for the better, something that would make the world a better place. But eventually that idea became far-fetched. Now all I want to do in life is be content. Find a stable job, earn enough to live a comfortable life, enough to support my family." 

I felt as if someone just plucked one of my more secret thoughts and blatantly splattered it on the page. Regardless of what I want. Forcing myself to admit to something I don't want to put into words. But this is the beauty of writing the truth- you never know who you'll reach.

I want to change the world. We all want to change the world. And for all my life I've been letting my ideas run wild with no doubt to taint them or fear to slow them down because they've all been hiding behind the phrase:

'I'm special.'

Because its only special people- people who are brave, who are insane, who are something more- those are the people who change the world. But now I'd older. and I'm realizing I'm not special. I'm average. I'm so unremarkable I sometimes feel as if I'm wasting a spot in the universe that could have been filled by someone...speical for lack of another word.

As I'm getting older I'm becoming alarmingly more aware that I'm going to have to find a job. I might get married. have children. Have to take care of a family- my family. I might not even have the time to change the world. 

This year is the first time I am afraid to think 'I can fix that' least I fill my head with actions I don't believe I am capable of doing. Won't even give myself the chance to try. What hurts the most is that every time I tell myself 'I can't do that' I can feel my old self- the one who dreamed of a future I created with my own hands- she's dying. Withering away one "be realistic' comment at a time.

BUT I WON'T LET HER DIE.

"There are those who dream and there are those who get up and work"

I'm already full of dreams too big to fit in a 15 year old body- but I can't live off of dreams alone. I need to see myself DO SOMETHING. or else I'll die. I'll die and all that will be left is a shell like any other that is little more that a robot doing her daily routine over and over and over again until I'm too old to do even that. An empty person that is always affected by events around her but never effecting others.

I will stop dreaming. and start doing.

Because 'special' isn't a magic spell. There is no sure formula for success. Just a lot of heart, determination, and maybe a bit of madness.

What do you think?

-Nadine

Warrior- chapter 3

Chapter 3

       "I'm here angel"
Katherine's heart sped up. She did not know whether she was frightened or excited, probably both, she thought. She turned to face the trees, where he hid.
"You came!"she exclaimed, her eyes glowing in the darkness. 
"I'm here, aren't I?" he retorted, sarcasm lacing his voice.
"Oh.. Um.. yes" stuttered Katherine,  her cheeks reddening in embarrassment. 
"Why do you insist on getting yourself in trouble?" He Inquired. 
"What did I do?!"asked Katherine incredulously.
"You leave the safety of your home to wander around alone, in a dark forest!" He shouted.

    "But I'm not alone! You are here with me, you would keep me safe, wouldn't you?" Andrew didn't know how to reply to that. He decided to avoid the question altogether. 

"It's dangero-"
"I know, believe me, I know" she interrupted him, her voice growing desperate."But WHY!?, why is it dangerous, why wouldn't anyone tell me?!" She felt ridiculous yelling at a men she only met once, a man whose face she hadn't even seen yet.
"Ignorance is bliss" came his suddenly calm reply.
"And that is why I will ignore what just happened" she heard him sigh in frustration. Before he could say anything "Now tell me, what is your name?"

"Andrew" Andrew wanted to kick himself for just blurting out his name to her. He didn't even know why he came, why he felt that he needed to waste his day off to see her. But once he saw her, his heart warmed. That night she was wearing a dark coloured cloak which contrasted with her alabaster skin and hid her dainty feet.
"Andrew" she repeated. His heart picked up pace, his name sounded amazing coming from her lips, in her delicate voice.
"And yours?" He asked with fascination. 
"Katherine" she replied beaming. He couldn't help but think of how her name suited her, beautiful and bold. He liked it.

"Why don't you show me your face?"asked Katherine. She wondered why he wouldn't come forward.
"I do not wish to scare you" he said. Katherine giggled slightly at that.
"How could you possibly scare me? How you look does not matter" replied Katherine truthfully. She would not care if he was deformed, it does not matter how a person looked. She knew she was no gem, she was just Katherine. It pleased her to know that at least someone of the other gender was talking to her.
"It would be hypocrisy to call anyone ugly when I seem to repulse every man I've ever encountered" she said with a warm smile, tilting her head slightly. The sadness in her voice was detectable. 
Katherine suddenly heard a low rumble which shook her heart and made her breath hitch. Then she realize he was laughing, Andrew was laughing. She stared in his direction in bewilderment. He was booming with laughter which brought a smile on Katherine's face which grew larger then turned into giggles. She liked his laughter.

Andrew's heart warmed at her delicate giggles.  They sounded so soft and melodious. He wondered if she was insane, because she was anything but repulsive,  she was exquisite. The fact that she thought herself plain or ugly made him laugh for the first time in a long while, he hadn't let himself laugh since he had been resurrected. He couldn't help but feel relieved after her confession, she had not had any interaction with men before. 

"Katherine how could you ever think yourself repulsive?" he couldn't help but ask smiling."Has anyone ever called you ugly?! Its impossible, you are a beauty Katherine"
"I... um.." Katherine stuttered, taking a long breath, a blush rising up her neck. She wrung her fingers nervously. " No.. I have never been called ugly per say, but I have never been told otherwise....until now"
She was amazed, all her life she thought she was hideous,  because no man ever associated with her. Was it possible the people in her village didn't like her because she was not one of them, she knew she was adopted. She didn't know where she came from, but she knew she didn't know belong with them.
"Thank you" whispered Katherine."I want to see you Andrew,  you mere silhouette is not enough"

"I..- Katherine, look out!" just as Katherine turned look over her shoulder, she was shoved so forcefully that her body flew past the bushes and collided with a tree. She did not know what attacked her.
"Katherine!!. .." she could hear her name  being called out faintly, it seemed muffled. She expected pain, but there was nothing, she felt partially numb, all she felt was a slight throbbing on the back of her head and spine. Her vision of the branches above her was blurring, darkness closed in on her. She could feel herself loosing consciousness, until finally, she blacked out.

Warrior- by Nadine and Doaa

Warrior
Chapter one



       Katherine looked around her, realizing that there was not one soul watching her. Before thinking about it too much, she opened her door and left. Everyone was inside, safe from whatever they always warned her about, from whatever that lingered in the dark. So no one had noticed her, jumping over the wall of rocks that was merely three feet high and crumbling . The rocks were all crowded together, as if they were afraid of  been left alone in the darkness. She told herself that she would go just a few feet beyond the boundary, just enough to see what the world looked like at night , but the curiosity took over her mind and with it, every thought of home. 

Warrior- Chapter 2

Chapter two

She hadn't got enough sleep that night. She had tossed and turned all night, thinking of the stranger. 
After she awoke the next morning, she brought water from the village well and cleaned herself thoroughly. Before heading out to the healers hut to continue her apprenticeship, Katherine decided she should awaken her mother.