by Natalie Erin
The great stallion bolted off, and the fight began to disband. But as the two groups went their separate ways, Lara felt that an underlying rivalry had begun between the unicorns and the wolves, and it wouldn’t be easily solved in the years to come.
The group traveled as fast as they could through the snow together, ill-furnished against the recent blizzard. Kia held Kennu tightly to her coat and he clung to her, looking behind at his father with enlarged eyes. Keota watched his son worryingly, knowing something was wrong with him. He had his tan hands around the shoulders of his niece Vivienna. She was holding Melodi in her pocket, a small mouse once more. Ionan was a lion, carrying Allie in her lynx form on his back, and each of the adult wolves held one of the baby pups in their mouth. Casiff came behind, shepherding the older cubs as the five of them tried to stick together.
“I don’t know where Snow Drop went,” Kia said, looking at Keota worryingly. “I hope Wyntier didn’t hurt her.”
“I’m sure she’s fine. She probably flew back to the forest,” Keota said.
Casiff’s eyelids were about frozen shut. “We have to keep going before the blizzard shuts us in for good!” he cried.
Vivienna looked down and noticed the white lion next to her was weeping. Allie asked, “Io?” but the Changer didn’t respond.
Keota knelt down. “Ionan?” he asked, touching his white mane gently. Kennu suddenly began crying too and Kia asked, “What’s wrong, baby?”
“Kennu knows what Io is thinking,” he whimpered. Kia glanced at Keota, and they remembered that Kennu had telepathy.
“What’s Ionan upset over, Kennu?” Keota asked. For some reason the child glared at his father, refusing to respond. Kia repeated the question but Kennu simply put his hand on his chest and sobbed, “Ionan’s heart hurts.”
“Oh,” Kia turned and looked at her spouse. Keota rushed over, leaving Vivienna to be guarded by Ionan.
“Here Kia, you’re in no state to carry him. Let me.” He extended his arms but Kennu cried, “No!” It wasn’t a cry of defiance and he wasn’t having a tantrum...this was a cry of pure terror. He dug his nails into his mother and his eyes started to glow in fear. Allie instantly snapped up, her eyes shining light as well.
“Touch him and you all shall meet my talons,” she hissed, and they all gasped at her tone.
Caini whispered fearfully, “Allie, it’s us.”
“You shall all see death by my beak if you hurt him. No one shall hurt him again while I breathe.” She jumped off Ionan’s back, changing into a griffin and started snapping fiercely at Keota.
“She doesn’t know what she’s doing! Keota, you’d better back off!” Casiff shouted, shielding the pups from Allie’s nearing wrath.
Keota slowly walked backwards, taking his place behind Vivienna and beside Ionan. Kennu’s eyes stopped glowing and so did Allie’s, the rage slowly filtering from her face. She walked by Kia and the boy hummed, “Allie.” Kia pried Kennu’s terrified hands from her fur jacket and set him down on Allie’s back. The young prince laid his wool-covered head down on her feathers and she led the way, casting threatening but confused glances at everyone behind her.
“Ionan, do you know what that was all about?” Keota whispered, but the Changer didn’t even look up. He heartlessly stared at the snow and said with tears streaming down his fur, “We’ll never be able to find her! Who knows where Wyntier hid her?”
Of course. It was all about Vera. Keota went to speak but Kia caught him before he said anything. “Wait two seconds Keota!” she snapped. “Let me see what this is all about.”
She knelt down, pulling off her hood to reveal her pin-straight hair, free from its usual braid to cascade down her back. She took Kennu’s hand and said, “Baby, do you think you can show Mommy what Io is thinking?”
Kennu nodded, and he put his hand on his heart again. He seemed to be thinking carefully and Allie danced uneasily under him as if she knew what was coming. Kia let out a cry and the group immediately stood stagnant.
“Kia, what’s wrong?” Keota asked, but before he could do anything Kia had gotten up off the snow, running at him as she sobbed frantically. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him harder and longer then she ever had. She hugged him as tight as she could and whispered, “Keota, hold me. Hold me and don’t let me go.”
“What do you mean? I’m not going anywhere,” he said rapidly, getting a little emotional himself. She shook her head, tears pouring down her face. “No, no, don’t stop. If you let me go I’ll die. Don’t let go.” She grasped him and they continued on through the snow, Kia never relaxing her grip.
The wind trembled against them and nobody stopped to ask what was going on. Casiff simply took off his glove and gazed at his wedding ring. Lilja and Cornia pressed closer together, Cornia’s tail wrapping intimately around Lilja’s right back leg. The children didn’t know entirely what had happened, but they understood that it was very complicated. Only Lottie holding the black male in her mouth felt confused and a little bit jealous.
After awhile, Keota and Kia had fallen behind. Kia was still clinging to him, though not as tightly.
“I don’t understand,” Keota said, and Kia laughed a truly happy laugh.
“Don’t you get it?” she asked, shaking her head. “You, like all Accompanies, underestimate your Changer. What I experienced back there was only the most powerful love I’ve ever experienced. Don’t you realize how much he loves her?”
“But she’s with Wyntier!” he exclaimed.
“It doesn’t matter what side she’s on. She loves him, and he loves her. That’s all that matters.”
When Keota still looked at her like she was crazy, she made an angry noise and whispered, “I don’t think you realize the depth of their affection. You saw how much of a wreck I was back there. That’s what they feel for each other. Ionan thinks he would die if he has to live without her.”
Keota raised his eyebrows at her. Kia sighed and she climbed on his back, Keota giving her a lift up. Because of his height, she was nearly four feet off the ground.
“I can’t understand it,” Keota said. “I just can’t.”
“Just imagine if it were me,” Kia said. “And maybe you can.”
They had found a cave to subside in until the blizzard passed. There was no point in trying to travel further...the storm was so strong that they couldn’t see where they were going and it only got them more lost.
The cave was high and deep. Too far in and they would be lost to the darkness of the caverns. Kia kept Allie and Kennu close together, Allie as a baby llama trying to get Kennu warm with her thick wool. Keota sat next to them with his legs crossed, his one arm around Kia.
Casiff was being jumped on all over by Lilja and Cornia’s pups. “Get the traitor!” Shadowin cried and he hopped on his head, while Jade grabbed his jacket and the rest of them put little bite marks on his skin.
“Hey, stop it, that hurts!” he laughed, thoroughly enjoying himself. They pushed him down and he growled, crawling around on all fours and pretending to be a wolf himself.
“Casiff’s a riot, isn’t he?” Lilja barked, showing his teeth happily.
“Yes, he is quite the comedian,” Lottie replied, the three pups snuggled against her belly.
“Have you decided what to name them yet?” Cornia asked, watching the new mother proudly.
“Of course,” she whispered. “This one is Rabika,” she nudged the gray female with her nose gently, “The little one is Adelaide,” she licked the fur of the smallest, red pup, “And the boy’s name is Tatl.”
At the sound of his name the little pup stirred. His sisters next to him squirmed and then, very carefully, Adelaide began to open her eyes. The little pup said in a soft voice, “Mama.”
The boy began to rise with his eyes still closed, walking around blindly. He growled and lunged out a paw before falling back onto Lottie’s soft silver fur. When he did this he slowly opened his eyes, which were a golden yellow. With his four paws u
p in the air, he cocked his head at her upside down and grinned.
Rabika was the last to get up. She simply opened her gray eyes, looked around once or twice, then scooted over a bit so she was completely covered by her mother’s fur. Lottie kissed them all gently and Lilja remarked gruffly, “Congratulations little sis.”
Lottie touched her nose to his and murmured, “Thanks, brother.”
Far away from all the others in the corner were Melodi and Vivienna. Melodi was on the floor as a small speckled owl. Vivienna stroked her feathers and she let out a who in contentment. Not wanting to let the others hear, Vivienne whispered, “Di, what’s up with you lately? You’re changing so much now. Why all of a sudden?
The owl shook her feathers. “I’m not sure. I think I’m beginning to realize who I am. I never knew I could change into what I did earlier until I tried.”
Vivienna put her in her lap. “I think I’m changing too, inside.”
“How?” Melodi asked.
Vivi hugged her tighter. “I just don’t feel like hiding myself anymore. For the last two years of my life I’ve been in hiding, and I’m eight years old! I’m tired of having to disguise who I am and how I feel. I don’t want to put on a smile that’s fake anymore, I want it to be real. Every day I get up and it’s like I’m in a fog.”
“I can guess why. The signs were obvious, though I didn’t say anything before.”
“Then you get it.” Vivienna looked like she about to cry, or turn into stone. “I could care less what my dad thought. He’s never loved me and he’s been gone for most of my life. But my mom was different. I thought she really cared about me, but I guess I was wrong. All I wanted her to do was take care of me, and she couldn’t even do that. I hate her!”
“No, you don’t,” Melodi hooted. “You don’t hate her. I wish I could just take it all away. I wish I could just reach inside you to transfer all your hurt over to me. I would do it and it wouldn’t affect me, because I love you too much.”
“I think I just need a hug now,” Vivienna sniffed and Melodi changed into a tan mouse. She crawled up her shoulder and put her tiny paws to her cheek. Vivi put her right hand on her and patted her lightly.
The storm subsided. Feeling refreshed and ready to continue their trip, they all got to their feet. Feeling more cheerful, the group began to head outside so they could finally return home.
Before they could leave, darkness flooded the cave and they all began to scream. It seemed like the light had been torn from the world, for there had never been such darkness seen in all the Lands. Keota felt someone slam him into the wall. The thin hand that had grabbed him was female, and he felt the strength being sucked out of him. Allie ordered, “Kennu, come over to me!” and he heard the padding of small shoes as the woman dragged him down and tied his hands and legs quickly.
Then he heard a voice that had frightened him since he was a child say, “You think, little Changeress, that you could get away that easily?
The darkness fell away and Keota saw Wyntier half-snarling, half smiling at the entrance of the cave. It was a cocky smile, the kind of smile that came when you had won.
Nineva was behind him, her dark magic swirling around her hands. He expected Vivienna to cast her light, but he saw through his black bangs that she too was bound in chains and had a piece of black fabric around her mouth. Melodi had been shoved in a little iron box that would crush her if she tried to change. He saw Kia was tied back to back with Casiff, and that the pups and Lottie were held up in a giant net. Nineva was fitting hobbles to a muzzled Cornia who was looking at Lilja. He laid on the ground, bleeding from the head and not moving.
Chapter Sixteen
A Dance Meant for Death Becomes Child’s Play
No! Keota refused to believe it, going numb. A few paces away Nineva had chained Ionan up tighter than any of the others. He was held by a lock that could only be opened with a giant key or picklock. It was so thick that even if Keota did get free, he’d never be able to rip it off with his enormous strength like he had done with so many others. Dark fire had blocked the cave entrance so they couldn’t escape.
How did they tie us up so quickly? he wondered. Nineva must’ve moved faster and could see in the darkness, unlike them.
The only ones that had gone free were Allie and Kennu. The young lynx bared her sharp teeth and Kennu huddled behind her, frightened. “I haven’t forgotten what you’ve done,” Allie hissed, glaring at Wyntier.
He simply moved aside to reveal his son. He was a perfect example of his father, his brown eyes dangerously sinister for a six-year old. His Changer Zorna peeked out of his pocket as a bat, and opened his jaws to reveal his fangs. Allie hissed right back.
“Now we shall see who will overpower the other. Darkness versus light. Changeress against Changer. Half-breed against pure line. We have trained our son and his Changer since the day he was born. Trained them to be killers. But will it be enough to defeat the mighty prophecy?”
“Don’t listen to him Allie! He’s trying to get you to lose control so he can find your weak points and take your powers!” Ionan cried. Nineva sent a jet of dark magic that went around Ionan’s mouth, silencing him.
“He’s right Allie! Whatever you do, do not let your eyes glow!” Casiff cried.
“Shut up!” Nineva had somehow crossed the large cave in under a few seconds and slapped Casiff upside the head. She gagged him as well before returning to Wyntier’s side.
“I won’t interfere, and neither will my wife,” Wyntier said, stepping back. “I want to see which of our children is the weak link.”
The cave went silent. Soran stepped forward and his bloodsucking Changer leapt out of his pocket, transforming into the black pup they had seen at the house. Allie stayed in her lynx form. She pushed Kennu back to the wall and the two Changers began to circle.
It was like a dance, the way they moved. Allie was heaver, stronger in her movements while Zorna was articulate, light. They stopped and faced each other, moving their heads in time like snakes.
Allie charged, but the dog easily spun out of her way and had her by the throat in seconds. She growled and pushed him off of her, slamming him onto the ground.“That’s a little something I learned from Uncle Lilja!” she cried, but Zorna whipped her legs out from under her. He tried leaping on top of her but she swerved, pinning him to the ground instead. He fell helpless under her weight.
“She’s too heavy, Zo! Change into something else!” his Accompany shouted, and Keota wondered if the boy had any emotion left in him.
Zorna changed, this time reverting back into a bat. He climbed up the walls of the cave and then dove, biting Allie in the exact place where he had hours before. She screamed louder then they had ever heard her.
“Allie!” Kennu cried, and his eyes began to glow. Wyntier looked hungrily at the boy and Kia shouted, “No!” but Allie swung around and kicked her Accompany’s feet out from under him.
Kennu’s eyes stopped glowing, but there was nothing but rage inside of him. He jumped onto his cousin’s back and the six-year old screamed. He rolled onto him on the ground and they wrestled, but this time Kennu was winning.
“Daddy, help me!” Soran screamed, reaching a hand out towards his father.
Wyntier didn’t respond. He showed no interest in his son, but kept his eyes fixed on Allie.
Allie changed into a giraffe, her long neck making it impossible for Zorna to keep a good hold. He fell back and changed into a young black wolverine. Allie fell back and changed into the same thing, except her fur was brown. They snarled and leapt at each other, tearing off chunks of skin and going for blood. Kennu and Soran stopped fighting, and simply sat down to watch their bonded partners in awe.
Allie took her giant paw and beat him back, and Zorna was sent flying across the room. Soran cried, “Zo!” and hurried over.
“You little brat, get back here! Don’t show weakness!” Wyntier hissed but his son paid him no attention. It seemed the boy did have some kindness i
n him after all. He helped his Changer up and Allie changed back into her favorite form, a brown fawn.
Zorna shook his head and changed, forming into a black fawn the exact size of Allie, with small antlers on the top of his head. They charged and butted heads, rising up on their hind legs to claw at each other with razor-sharp hooves.
“You’re never going to end it this way! Show them your true form, and let’s get this over with!” Wyntier snarled.
Zorna jumped into the air, bouncing off a cave wall. When he was at least five feet up, his form melded and the girl fawn was faced with what was undoubtedly a phoenix hatchling.
He was mostly red, and nearly the size of Kennu. He had a black beak and tail feathers, and when he flew fire swirled around him. Zorna opened his mouth and flames came barreling out, straight towards Allie. All was in slow motion until Kennu screamed and Allie leapt into the air herself, changing into a griffin as she rose.
They were too well matched. Whenever Allie had gotten ahold of him with her talons Zorna chased her away with fire. When Zorna got too close Allie lunged out with her beak. They finally came to the height of the cave, where they locked claws and went spiraling down to the ground.
Keota closed his eyes but the crash never came. The two children were too innocent to bear seeing even their enemy being defeated in such a horrible way, so they let go and glided gracefully to the ground.
“No!” Wyntier growled but Zorna was too tired to continue. He hadn’t rested from traveling as Allie had, and he collapsed breathlessly by Soran’s feet.
Allie changed into a fawn, walking over to Kennu. Wyntier let out a disgusted noise and said, “I’ll take care of this myself.”
He went to pick up Kennu but Allie bit his hand, drawing blood. He drew his hand back and screamed, “Agh! You little bitch! I know your weaknesses! You won’t be able to resist losing your control when I hurt your Accompany again like I did so many times before!”