Prolouge

A Chapter by .:Lu:.

The beginning of the Island Game

Thirty-five years ago, four men were sitting around an old and worn card table. Each one had a chain around his neck, and on each chain a different animal: a bear, a badger, an owl, and a weasel. One of the men was talking.

“I think that we should go through with this. It would be entertaining to watch through the years. Teens trying to survive the wild and each other! And the people in several countries trying to find out where the kids have gone! Now will you agree, Weasel?”

A man with scrawny orange hair thought for a minute. “I guess I will, but I must make one note. If this fails in any way, it will be your fault, Bear.” Weasel looked at the man with dark brown hair. Another man, with unnaturally grey hair, spoke.

“When shall we start? And where will we put them?” He had his eyes set on Bear. Another man, with black-and-white streaked hair, nodded.

“Owl is right. We need to plan before we act. Otherwise, like Weasel said, it will be your fault that we fail.”

Bear laughed. “Owl, Badger, both of you should know that I can’t fail. We can do this and keep it up until we decide that it isn’t worth it anymore. Now come, we need to start.”

“Katherine, you need to go to bed! I don’t care if your birthday is tomorrow; you need to go to sleep!”

A brown-haired woman was standing over a blond girl who had her arms crossed and a strong look in her green eyes. The girl growled, but went into her bedroom.

“You can’t make me live like this forever!”

Sleep came quickly for little Katherine. She dreamed of the day to come, with her friends and family over. She was eating cake, and opening presents, and singing with everybody. It was a joyous dream that couldn’t be real, yet it was.

When she woke up, something wasn’t right. He couldn’t feel her blankets, or the mattress. The only thing there was thick woodland and the occasional call of a bird. Katherine quickly got up. She wasn’t wearing her pajamas anymore, but a simple green dress with a small vine of ivy embroidered on the bottom. She was wearing leather sandals, oddly enough.

“Hello?” she called. She could hear whispers, but she couldn’t make out what they were saying. She called out again.

“Hello? Anybody there?”

A boy, around 16 years old, with black hair and brown eyes, walked right out of the shadows. He had a bow in one hand and a full quiver on his back. He was wearing grey armor and had a helmet with an owl etched into the top.

“Who are you?” he asked. Katherine backed up against a tree. She couldn’t speak out of fear. The boy laughed and pulled off his helmet. “I’m not going to hurt you. Just the opposite-I’m going to get you to safety. Now, who are you?”

“I-I’m Katherine.” She wasn’t reassured by his words.

“And how old are you?”

Katherine nearly said ‘twelve’, but she realized that today, it was her thirteenth birthday. “I’m thirteen today,” she almost whispered. The boy nodded.

“Come-we’re going to the castle. I am Norbert, the high commander of the Owls.”

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