“Scratches, I worry about you no matter what you think. I have all of this power now at my disposal. When that snake had you in its grips I could feel our bond weakening. I couldn’t tell what your emotions were and your magic was closed off to me.”
Tam didn’t say anything and thought about her words. He had known how to clamp down on his magic but could not stop the bond entirely. His body would naturally use its own magic to heal him, even now he could feel it working inside of him but it would also let the human use it since he was out of immediate danger. Tam thought about what would happen if he was getting beaten so badly that he thought he was going to die and he clamped down on it, would it snap entirely? If it did he could be free, he could travel far away and head back to the great forest and live like he had been. A smile crept to his face as he changed back into a fell beast so his body could heal quicker.
“Why are you purring? Is it because I told you I care about you? I have told you that since we were bonded and only now you believe me?”
Tam walked away from her and did not listen to whatever else she said. She tried to pet him and got snarled at. Katie jumped back and fixed him with an angry glare before leaving the room. As soon as she left, Tam tore into the meat. It was good and he was hungry. He thought it tasted like the big tall animals the humans called cows. They were a fattier version of elk and this was one of the better cuts! Tam saw water and drank it. The humans did something to their water to make it taste better than he was used to. It went well with the meat. He jumped up on the big bed and laid back down to sleep.
CHAPTER 5
“Get up you lazy cat!” Katie said, as Tam could feel her pushing him off the bed. “It is morning and you have to go to your classes.”
Tam lifted his head up. He was happy he didn’t feel injured anymore. He took a long stretch on the bed and let his claws sink into it. It felt good he thought, as he yawned and shook himself. His captor was there looking angry at him. Tam looked around the room and saw something he had never seen before. It was a huge bowl of water. The bowl was big enough for him to jump in and he instantly bolted to it.
“Get out of my bath you dumb animal,” Katie yelled, as Tam splashed and rolled around in the water.
Tam could hear her yelling, and was sure he was zapped with a few spells, but he didn’t care. He loved the water. And even though this water was small, he could cover himself with it! Tam closed his eyes and let his head rest just outside of the odd bowl. He was surprised to hear and feel Katie splash into the water alongside of him. The bowl was too small for both of them but the girl still struggled to get in. Tam ignored her, but could feel she was washing herself as he enjoyed the water. It was nice and warm. Eventually she got out of the bowl and kept yelling at him to do the same.
“Why are you bothering me, Mittens?” Tam asked, changing back to human form.
“Because your bath is now located outside if you want one. I paid for a personal tub so I don’t have to use the communal bath area. You look as well as I have ever seen you, so you are going to classes today. Now get up and get dressed. You have to go to another area to get food, I have one of the changelings coming by to get you.”
“I am comfortable here Mittens. Can’t I at least have one thing without you trying to ruin it?”
“It belongs to me. And my name is not Mittens! I am not bringing you anymore food. And you are past your moping and brooding. Now get up or you are not going to have anything to eat.”
Tam got up. He knew Katie was staring at him the entire time. His human form he thought was nice. At least he was well proportioned and strong-looking compared to the other humans he had seen. Tam noticed the extra bulk of his muscles as he climbed into clothes that had become snugger over the past week. Katie said something about him not drying off, but Tam ignored it. Presently he heard a knock on the door. Katie answered it and then stepped to the side. A big human entered. He was bigger than Stone was and wore an outfit like the one Tam had on. The man looked Tam up and down. He had a look of confusion of his face.
“You are a kid,” the man said staring at Tam.
“I am not a cub,” Tam said back. “I am getting bigger. I have just passed my fifteenth year.”
“I thought you were grown,” the man said looking at Tam. “Grab your collar and let’s go. We don’t have much time.”
Tam hated both the collar and the look Katie’s face had when he took it from her outstretched hand. The big broken one kept looking back at him as he led Tam throughout the building until they reached the outside. Tam could see there was a big pit of water and wanted to investigate it. But he was also hungry and wondered what the broken ones had in mind.
The large one was a wolf and apparently a dangerous one, as he did not bother to scan his surroundings like Tam always did. He led Tam into another building. He could smell cooking meat and wrinkled his nose at it. The humans were cooking all of the flavor out of it. But he was still very hungry.
The wolf led him into a big room. There were no individual chairs like the other eating place had. Everyone sat on chairs at one of three long tables. There were different groups. The wolves were easy to spot. They seemed more sociable and almost all of them were as big as the man walking with Tam. Their table seemed over crowded, but didn’t look like they minded. At the other table sat cats. The lion was easily spotted as he was big and hairy and had human facial hair that was similar to his blond lion's mane. A slender female that was in season was sitting next to him. Unlike the lion she was quite a bit younger and looked a little older than Tam's age. Tam met eyes with the lion and saw red. He remembered how the Lion had distracted him for the constrictor and set him up.
Tam bolted across the room and struck the big man hard in the face before he could get up. The broken lion fell out of his chair but quickly recovered. The big man pulled a knife. Tam made his hands into claws. They would rip easily through the man's human skin. Tam got low to the ground as the big man looked at both of Tam’s hands confused.
“Stand down little one,” the lion said. “I am a fight you cannot win.”
“Talk, talk, talk,” Tam said as he braced himself to fight.
Before Tam could move the man shot out a leg which hit him solidly in the side and sent him skittering across the floor. Tam hated his weak human form. But he would be bound up in his clothing probably if he changed while dressed. Tam hurriedly leapt up and swiped at the big lion who stayed out of Tam’s reach. Tam knew he was faster. The broken one though, knew how to fight as a human. He landed heavy blows with his legs on Tam, and slugged him hard with the hand not carrying the knife. Tam had to keep most of his focus on the knife since it was the broken one's most dangerous weapon. But he was being picked apart by the heavy blows he was receiving. Eventually he stopped attacking and adopted a defensive posture. He figured when the broken one attacked, he would swipe him good. The thought made Tam smile as he licked away some of the blood in his mouth from the heavy blows he had received.
“Do you finally admit defeat little one?” the lion laughed. “You are tougher than you look.”
“Come on,” Tam said as he flexed his claws.
“How are you able to change parts of your body?”
“Because I am not a broken one like you.” Tam snarled and let some of his fell beast voice come through.
“Well sit down. This fight is obviously over,” the lion said as he sheathed his knife. “That first blow of yours surprised me. Why in the pit would you try to fight a man way bigger than you? I can tell you have some muscle on you and your punch was solid, but I am twice your size.”
“You don’t scare me,” Tam said. He could feel his magic repairing his body.
“Your magic works quickly. You must be a second or third generation,” the lion said, as he sat down. “Take a seat. I am not your enemy. Yesterday we took you on because I heard we had a wild changeling who was attacking everyone and everything. It was our way of letting you know that you were not the toughest th
ing here. Me and Slither didn’t know you were so young or maybe we would have talked to you instead. I had no idea what a fell beast was. I assumed you were full grown. Looking at you now though, you have some years to catch up with me.”
“I bet your Slither wishes he didn’t try me,” Tam said in a sinister grin. “Just like you will wish you didn’t.”
“For a changeling belonging to a disgraced family you have a lot of cockiness,” the lion said. “I belong to the queen and am one of three in charge of the changeling part of this school.”
“I don’t belong to anyone,” Tam snapped. “I was happy in the forest before that horrid cub, her father, three broken wolves, seven dogs and eight men pulled me out to beat me until I bonded. I don’t owe them any allegiance. I speak for myself.”
“So you hid in the forest?,” the lion asked.
“No. I didn’t hide in any forest. It was my home”.
“It wasn’t always your home,” the lion said. “Where were you born?”
“In the forest. I am a pureblood.”
“A pureblood!” the lion exclaimed loudly as he stood up from his chair which made the girl cheetah shriek. “Where are the rest of you at?” The lion demanded.
“None of your business,” Tam said.
“This has to be brought to the royal family,” the lion stated and left.
Tam watched him leave and shook his head. One day he would be able to beat a brute like him, but today was not yet that day. The man could time him and strike him at will with the reach of his arms and legs. At least the broken snake was nowhere to be found. When he was healed he was likely to be a very tough fight as well. Tam looked over to the Lion’s plate then sat and ate the nasty cooked meat on it as quick as he could. He was still hungry and made eye contact with the cheetah.
“If you are hungry you can get more,” the cheetah said as she looked down towards her feet.
“Who has cowed you?” Tam asked. “Why do you keep backing away like a whipped animal? Meet my gaze.”
“I don’t want any trouble,” the girl said looking away.
“Then stop staring at me and then looking away,” Tam snapped.
“It’s just that you are so young and small,” the cheetah said.
“I am bigger than you.”
“Almost everyone here is except for Foxy.”
“Is she the fox?”
“Yes.”
“What is your name broken one,” Tam asked.
“Why do you call me broken one?”
“Because you have been broken. You let these humans take away what makes you, you.”
“My mage treats me well. I am better treated now than I was ever treated as a slave. I was just lucky enough to get bit by a dying cheetah. Before that I was nothing but a thing to warm my master’s bed. When I was bitten, I ran and found the master’s daughter. She was getting ready to leave for school and was about to bond with a big wolf. But she had always wanted a cheetah like her older brothers and chose me instead. Now I am here where I don’t get beaten or misused when she is around.”
“What do you mean when she is around?” Tam asked.
“There are only three women here and a lot of men,” the cheetah said. “I have seen the way they look at us. I know I am expected to be a place for the cats to find relief. But luckily Leo is the biggest cat around and he sees me as a daughter instead of a mate. Foxy and Tawny though are both canines, a fox and a coyote. The wolves have looked at them but I do not think they will try anything. The wolves were picked because their fathers were large men who were great soldiers or guards. Foxy is a noble herself. She is a low ranking noble from a poor family, who agreed to get bit so she wouldn’t be tossed out on the street or married off by her family to get rid of her. She is the fifth daughter of a nearly broke noble, but she is still a noble. No one of lesser blood would dare use her and I don’t think any of the wolves are nobles. Tawny though came from a breeder. It will not be long before the men here start on her. And eventually they will use me once they see that Leo is not going after me for himself.”
“I would shred these little doggies” Tam said as he looked around for more food. “I don’t want you cheetah, but if you are trying to avoid the attention of these broken ones, you should stay around me.”
“Are you serious?” the cheetah said and brightened up. “Here take my plate. I will go get some more.”
Tam decided he liked this broken one. He quickly gobbled up her food and did likewise with the next five plates she brought him. By the time he was finished he had many eyes looking at him and heard whispers about how much he ate and the fact he ate everything with his hands instead of using the metal things like the rest of them. At the end of the meal, the cheetah, who was named Mary, brought him outside. An older man whose animal was a cougar taught them a class in how to fight. In human form he was not as tall as some of the wolves, but Tam recognized instinctively what he was. Fighting a cougar in animal form was difficult because they could leap just as high as a fell beast could and were quick to strike and run away after inflicting some damage. Tam had seen one kill a fell beast before. The beast was being stalked by the animal and it noticed the cougar too late. In that battle, the cougar had also ended up dying afterwards from the poison. But he had been able to lock on to the juvenile fell beast’s throat and stayed there until it expired. Tam was weary of the broken cougar but the memory brought back good feelings. He had fed on the dead fell beast after the fight and after hiding the carcass, he had tracked and eaten the cougar later as well.
“You know what he is?” Mary asked.
“I have seen a changeling like this before. A cougar is not to be taken lightly,” Tam said. “Lions are bigger and faster, but cannot move the same. They are also not in the great forest, that Leo was the first lion I had ever seen. A cougar can jump as well as I can and in the great forest they have killed many changelings. Only two animals are safe from them. Wolves are spared because they have the support of their pack. And nothing is dumb enough to take on a full-grown fell-beast.”
“Kion is a second generation,” Mary said. “He is one of the heads of this school and is owned by Duke Raley.”
“The others are that lion and that snake I haven’t seen around here yet,” Tam said.
“Yes. All three are very rare. There are normally only two lions, two cougars, two cheetahs and two great snakes. When the one who bit me was dying and other slaves heard I had gotten bit, they all rushed out to get bit. There are four cheetahs now but Swift is the strongest.”
“I want to know something,” Tam said. “Why are some changelings so rare? Some of the changelings in the forest talked about it but were not real clear. And I refuse to ask that horrid girl Mittens.”
“Your mage is named Mittens?” Mary asked, surprised.
“Not really. But my name is Tam and she insists on calling me Scratches. So I call her mittens.”
“You should not do that. If she doesn’t like you she can stop taking care of you. I bet with her you have a nice warm place to sleep and food to eat.”
“Then I could go back to the forest and be happy. Here though I can reach adulthood without too much difficulty. In the forest it was getting harder since I needed larger prey to survive. I had to venture closer to the humans to find it. There are scary things in the deepest parts of the forest.”
“The mages want changelings for three things,” Mary began. “The first is for magical energy. Magical energy makes a weak mage stronger and able to cast many spells. That is the reason there are so many wolves. It is easy to find strong wolves in the forest.”
“Because of Fang,” Tam said. “He keeps making them whenever he can – either him or his bitten.”
“Is Fang the changeling wolf?”
“Yes. He is a pureblood that took pity on me during my younger years and helped me survive. Then I became rebellious. I am still welcomed by him and he is the closest thing I have to a father. I left the pack because I wanted to vent
ure out on my own instead of following his stupid rules. I nearly got killed a bunch of times and eventually got myself captured by humans.”
“You are human.”
“No I am not. I was born a fell beast and gained human form later. I have grown as a human though and so has my fell beast. Now though I am going to get mature faster.”
“The second reason mages want changelings is for protection,” Mary said. “That is why there are so many big men here. They were bought away from their parents and the owners arranged for them to be bitten. Only the babies of the biggest poor people or slaves were taken. Many have been trained to fight and kill since birth. Whatever Kion is going to teach us, most of the wolves already know.The third reason changelings are wanted is rarity. Mages like to have changelings that no one else has. Cats are rarer than dogs and few are made so their power will not be diluted.”
“They are rare because many of the purebloods have either been killed or have fled to places without mages,” Tam said. “No magic means humans cannot identify us. I do know that later generations of changelings made from a changeling that has bitten many are also weaker.”
“Are you done talking?” Kion said looking over at the pair. Mary bowed her head but Tam met his eyes. “We are learning how to fight and most of the rest have learned since birth. Now pay attention kid. I hate repeating myself.”
“Who do you think you are?” Tam said and got into his fighting stance. “I am not scared of you.”
“You will be the perfect example,” Kion said as he pulled his sword and charged over.
Tam backed away from the man and ducked the first few sword strikes. Kion was not as fast as the Leo the lion, but was Tam was not stupid enough to charge in on him. Humans and their swords were to be feared and respected. Tam kept waiting for a good time to strike but his opponent gave him none. This man must have respected him as an opponent, Tam thought. Tam lashed out put pulled up short. Kion didn’t bite and ignored the feint.
The Changeling Page 5