by Cloe Cullen
At the foot of the path were large pointed stones that pointed directly at the sky, as if stretching to tear the heavens in half. They marked the edge of their clan’s territory atop the Northern Mountains, a clear indication to anyone that dared cross in either direction they were being watched...usually, if there were guards roaming the grounds. Typically, because they were so isolated, nothing ever came up the path, and except for Jorah and his friends, no one ever ventured past the line formed by the stones; whether in fear of wandering Vampires or the fear of the Seers’ punishment, either way there wasn’t much reason to venture onward.
But Jorah did, and as the four slipped between the stones, jumping and landing at a slide on the path below, he realized he would probably never stop defying the Seers’ laws. Even from the top of the path, the view was marvelous. Stretching to the horizon, the great pines and fir trees of the Oldwood littered the land, concealing whatever may been going on beneath. Leaves and a myriad of smells drifted from the land below, mixing to create scents Jorah was lucky enough to catch on windy days. The land dipped and rose, and various clearings dotted the forest, with strange tiny shapes flitting through; Jorah wondered what kind of activities the shifters of the forest were doing.
Strong winds threatened to send them tumbling down the mountain, so for the first few miles they crouched and slid down, making sure to keep their balance, blanketing their backs in snow. When they finally were able to soften the raging gales with tall bushes that reduced the noise to whistling, they rose and marched on their feet, one by one, wiping the cold off of each’s shivering back. Nyx’s gentle open palms slapped the matted snow off of his back, for which he was grateful; the cold was beginning to soak into his bones. Thankfully, the lower they descended the warmer the world became, easing the travel.
More than once they spotted goats scaling the tall cliffs up above, nimbly rocketing from minuscule footholds to even thinner ridges.
Finn whistled, his voice nearly mimicking the gales swirling around them. “Damn, goats. How do they climb like that? Do you know how useful that would be if we could just fly up steep cliff faces?”
“Why don't you try living with them, learn their secrets?” Jorah jested. “I’m sure you’d fit right in, though you don’t have the horns.”
“Or the hooves,” Nyx added.
“Or the grace,” Keanu grunted. “Goats are beautiful creatures.”
The rest of the party burst into laughter at their huge friend’s comment. Elbowing him in the ribs, Finn grinned like a fool. “If they’re so beautiful, why don’t you take one as your mate, huh? I’m sure a big guy like you has a few secret fetishes you haven’t told the rest of us, right…”
In one swift motion, Keanu locked Finn’s head with a single arm, causing Finn to flail and shout and pound Keanu’s massive biceps with his fists. “Let me go, you big hairy bear! Come on, let go! Jorah, Nyx! Help me!” Laughing, Jorah and Nyx kept on walking, ignoring the plight of their slender friend. Eventually, Keanu let Finn go, Finn’s screeching voice morphing to an angry mumbling. “Seriously, though, you’re so much older than the rest of us. How do you not have a mate yet, Keanu?”
Keanu shoved his hands inside his fur coat, glancing away into the open air. “I just haven’t found one yet.”
“It’s not like there’s a whole lot of us in the clan, Finn,” Nyx said. “So, there’s bound to be many of us who end up alone...not to say you’re lonely, Keanu.” Keanu simply gave Nyx a small smile. “Besides, none of us have mates yet. So, you shouldn’t be complaining about someone else if you haven’t found one already.”
“But I have,” Finn replied, cracking his fingers and neck. “She’s quite beautiful, and just hasn’t noticed me yet.” Nyx threw him a curious eyebrow, but left it at that. “What about you, Nyx? You have got to have someone in mind. Wait...it’s one of us, right? What other males do you hang around?”
She glanced quickly back at Jorah, who met her gaze, but then she looked away, staying quiet. If he wasn’t mistaken, he knew exactly what that look meant, and who she had feelings for. He glanced back at both Keanu and Finn, and found them both staring at him, frowns deepening on their faces. Sighing, he glared them both down. “What?”
“And you?” Finn asked. “Come on, you’ve got to have someone you’re interested in?”
Dipping her head so as not to appear suspicious to the other men, Nyx rested her gaze on Jorah, brushing a few strands of her ashen brown hair behind her ear, awaiting his response. Jorah winced, not wanting to let her down again, but if he stayed quiet Finn would hound him for the answer until he caved. “No, there isn’t anyone at the moment.”
It felt strange to say that, like a rippling wave of guilt and unease washing through his body. Now that he thought about it, other than these three and Dallan, Jorah was really alone. Mateless and the adopted son of a Seer...it’s not like many female shifters, if there were many that were still without a mate, would even look his way besides Nyx. His heart trembled at the thought of living his whole life without a mate. Jorah was in the prime of his life right now, and that wouldn’t last forever. Maybe now really was the time to start looking for someone.
“Really?” Finn asked, a skeptical edge to his voice.
“Really, Finn, now lay off,” Jorah said, a sudden surge of impatience flooding his systems.
From then on, the group trudged and zigzagged in quiet, leaving their mouths zipped shut. Another couple miles of silence and they reached the halfway point down the mountain. A ledge jutted out just over the trees of the Oldwood forest, a myriad of scents overwhelming his nostrils as Jorah jogged up to the edge, looking out over the forest. The sun was beginning to make its descent in the distance, and so to watch it, Jorah plopped down, letting his legs hang over the world beneath him.
Nyx dropped down beside him. “I’d say to be careful, but I know you probably won’t listen to me.”
“I listen to you,” Jorah said. “I just know I’m more careful than you think I am.”
Rolling her eyes, Nyx brought her knees to her chest and wrapped them in her arms, staring ahead. Finn and Keanu sat on the other side of Jorah, the former peering straight down while the latter looked off to the side.
“Amazing, isn’t it?” Jorah asked. “I never tire of this view.”
“It is pretty, I’ll give you that,” Nyx said. “It’s nothing short of wonderful.” Her hand drifted from her knees to the grassy ledge, sliding over until it touched Jorah’s. He tried not to act surprised and jerk his hand back, so he slowly slid his away, causing Nyx to slump slightly. “Sorry,” she whispered.
“So am I,” Jorah said back.
No matter how beautiful Nyx was, or how much she might still feel for him, Jorah simply couldn’t feel the same about her. She was more a sister to him now than a lover. Nyx needed to understand that...but he just couldn’t bring himself to outright say it to her anymore. With his own two eyes he saw how much it hurt her, and he didn’t want to make things more difficult. Jorah had his own love life to go after now.
But as he looked out over the horizon, he wondered about that. Would he ever meet the woman meant to be his?
Chapter Six: Nyssa
A n hour had passed since Nyssa and the rest had left the clearing, Remus leading their voyage into the Oldwood. They walked in silence, their gazes scanning the surrounding areas and their noses constantly awaiting strange, dark scents that had no place in the purity of the Oldwood.
For some reason Nyssa felt strangely calm. Her nerves behaved themselves, and while a butterfly or two fluttered in the pit of her stomach, her body and mind compelled her to move forward unconditionally. The stress of the past day was finally, truly easing itself away, allowing Nyssa to relax and hunt with a new balanced sense. Even Lowell, who stalked beside her, appeared wholly intent on the hunt.
None of them had shifted forms just yet, opting to remain in their human skins until the moment they spotted a Changeling.
“You sure yo
u spotted the Changeling to the west?” Remus called over his shoulder, his head on a constant swivel.
“We’re sure,” Nyssa replied. Hearing her brother’s voice for the first time in days was nice. It calmed her, let her soul know she was in the midst of someone willing to put his life on the line to protect her. She got the same sensation from Lowell, who matched her every step, slowing if she slowed, picking up the pace if she began to jog. Lucky didn’t even begin to describe how she felt at the moment. Even Bronwen, who still smiled and marched forward alongside Remus radiated a protective aura, as if she were ready to brawl at any second, despite how fragile she appeared to a stranger’s eye.
“Are we close to where you two were earlier?” Remus asked.
“We’re getting there,” Nyssa said, looking around to get her bearings straight. The farther west one went from Gray Creek, the thicker the vegetation and woods became, making it harder to discern one’s exact location. Even after spending all nineteen years of her life wandering the Oldwood, it still took her a minute or two to confidently announce their orientation. “It should be just up ahead, to the right.”
The Oldwood didn’t just get denser, but also more varied the closer to the western sea they became, with the land rolling into hills and elongated crevices, holes and underground caverns dotting the land. Vines, bending trees and small ponds filled out the rest, as far as Nyssa knew. The Oldwood was so vast that nobody in Gray Creek could exactly say they’ve seen every part of the forest. Nyssa remembered how her father would tell her and Remus tales of bold shifters venturing into the dark thickets in the remote corners of the woodland, only to get lost and never be heard from again. Remus always remained calm and curious during the stories, but Nyssa would shake in fear; she knew he told them the stories to keep them from wandering too far.
As the group approached the where Nyssa and Lowell had seen the Changeling, Remus stopped them with an arm blocking their path forward. Wrinkling his nose, his expression scrunched up, his body tensing. Bronwen glanced curiously at him. “Something the matter?” She asked nonchalantly.
“I smell one…” Remus growled, his voice low. “It’s close by.”
The dark, disgusting scent crossed the noses of the other two quickly after Remus spoke, the hair on Nyssa’s body standing up straight. “It’s the same one,” Lowell said. “It’s small and quick, so if we spot it, we need to be fast about cornering it.”
“Right,” Remus said. “Can either of you get a read on which direction it went?” When they both shook their heads, Remus grunted. “Fine, then we’ll split up. You two go north, Bronwen and I will go south and then spread out from there. If any of you spy the Changeling, howl immediately so the rest of us can come for you, understood?”
Everyone nodded in unison. This was truly beginning to feel like a proper hunt, getting Nyssa’s blood pumping.
“Alright then, see you guys later,” Remus said, stalking off to the south with Bronwen in tow. “Be safe, sister.”
“Oh, our first date? Sounds wonderful to me!” Bronwen said eagerly.
“Can it, Bronwen,” Remus retorted.
Nyssa stared after her brother, watching him vanish into the trees, smiling. Lowell tugged on her arm, nodding north. “The Changeling won’t wait for us.”
“You’re right. Lead the way,” Nyssa said.
So, the two made their way through, closing the gap between them and the Northern Mountains ahead. She hadn’t realized how close to the foot of the mountain range they had gotten. The slope of land rose steeper the farther they traveled, the trees and foliage opening up a bit, enough for them both to walk side by side. No matter where they went, the strength of the Changeling scent remained the same.
“You think these creatures would have fled the Oldwood entirely by now.” Lowell mentioned. “Why are they still here? It doesn’t make any sense.”
“As if Vampires and their ways ever made sense to any of us,” Nyssa retorted. “Even Bronwen is still partially a mystery.”
“Yeah, she could slice us up at any moment, eat us for supper.”
Growling, she shot Lowell a look. “That isn’t what I meant.”
A small shape darted out in front of their path from under a fallen tree, sprinting away from them and into the thicket, startling them both and causing them to naturally chase it. Adrenaline flowing through her veins, Nyssa and Lowell jumped over bushes and trampled flowers, sliding through the dirt to make sure not to lose the creature. Was it the Changeling? Nyssa didn’t get a good look, but it matched the small and quick description. Lowell moved faster than Nyssa, sprinting and using a newfound agility to leap over stones and fly through narrow openings between trees. He dove forward just as the creature turned to bound off in another direction, his hands closing around it and capturing it.
“It’s not the Changeling, is it?” Nyssa asked as she came to a heart-pounding stop behind him. She didn’t need him to answer, as Lowell rolled to his knees showing the creature wiggling in his hands to be nothing but a dark-furred rabbit.
“Unless bunnies are the new Changelings, then no,” he growled, throwing the rabbit off to the side. Landing on its feet rather splendidly, the rabbit burst away and vanished in an instant. Lowell clicked his tongue as he stood, messing up his handsome hair with his hands. “Damn! I got excited there for a second.”
Laughing, Nyssa walked over to her friend and patted him on the back. “To be fair, we weren’t exactly paying as close attention as we probably should have…”
Nyssa’s voice trailed off, leaving her mouth agape as she peered past Lowell into the distance. Seeing the strange look on her face, Lowell frowned. “What’s wrong?” So, she simply pointed past him, motioning for him to turn slowly and quietly. Just like her, his gaze widened at the sight of a small, jet-black furred cougar appraising them from up on a hill. It stood still as stone, its eyes glistening in the sunlight.
“The Changeling…” Lowell whispered.
At the sound of his voice, the Changeling inched back slightly, positioning itself to sprint away at any second. Nyssa’ focus returned, and in the few moments of stillness, she made a quick decision. Darting forward, Nyssa shifted into her blonde wolf form, her hide clothes tearing to shreds, howling into the sky and racing towards the Changeling. The Changeling, in turn, bolted from its spot atop the hill, leaving behind a scent that burned Nyssa’s nostrils and lungs. Cursing, Lowell quickly shifted as well, howling and leaving behind his tattered clothes.
The chase was frantic, full of adrenaline, sweat coating Nyssa’s body, her mind and sharp eyes narrowing on the Changeling. More than once the creature snaked through the forest, kicking up leaves and dirt in its wake, making a clear trail for the two hunters to follow. She ducked under a few fallen trees, serpentined through a number of large stones dotting the ground, climbed higher and higher, never slowing, giving both Lowell and the Changeling a scare. Just as Nyssa was close enough to snap her jaws around the cougar’s hind leg, it suddenly changed directions, causing Nyssa to slam into the side of a raised piece of grassy land. She fumbled over herself, roaring at Lowell to keep chasing instead of stopping to help her, and leapt right back to her feet.
It was only a matter of time now before they caught the Changeling or chased it out of the Oldwood. But the creature kept running north, and soon enough they’d hit the foot of the mountain. Did it mean to climb to save itself? Desperation addled all living creatures, she supposed.
The Changeling burst into a large, wide clearing just before the land began to slope steeply up. It came to a sliding stop, turning to face them both as they came to a stop as well. While they panted and padded closer, the Changeling remained calm and silent. Looking to each other, neither knew what was going on. Why did it suddenly stop? Wasn’t it trying to run away? Either way, Remus and Bronwen would arrive soon, so all they need to do was wait.
But it appeared simply waiting wasn’t what was planned for either of them, as a whole slew of black-furred wolves
and cougars emerged on all sides, startling and frightening Nyssa. In the matter of an instant, they were both surrounded. It was a trap!
Nyssa once again looked to Lowell catching his gaze, but the other new Changelings didn’t wait for them to think of a way out. While Lowell had his back turned, one large wolf barreled towards him, Nyssa crying out for Lowell to dodge. Her cry was too late, as the wolf slammed into Lowell, sending them both tumbling to the ground roaring and swiping at each other.
Suddenly, Nyssa froze as more Changelings ventured forward, some running, others loping lazily. Four set upon her quickly, not allowing her time to think. Instinct would need to carry her through if she wanted to survive. And so Nyssa danced wildly, swiping and throwing her weight around, forcing the Changelings that circled her to jerk back and forth, yapping and trying sink their teeth into her limbs and tail as she moved from one side of the closing circle to the other. Eventually, one big wolf decided to go in for the kill, charging forward and using its size to thrash Nyssa around like she was a ragdoll. Pain sizzled under her skin and through her muscles as each new Changeling began to punish her endeavor to chase away the original Changeling. Each battering and sinking of teeth into her flesh rattled her mind, causing her to wail for help.
Nyssa managed to catch glimpses of Lowell trying to fight his way through to her, even going so far as to allow other Changelings to latch onto his body simply so he could gain another foot in her direction. But for every step forward he took, he’d be forced back two steps.
Eventually one cougar hit her head so hard she slumped to the ground, her vision blurring and her consciousness fading. The last image she saw before blacked out was that of a giant, brown bear lumbering towards her.
No, that couldn’t be right, there were no more bear shifters in the world, let alone bear Changelings…
Then her eyes closed, and she drifted away from the pain.