by Cloe Cullen
“Better get cracking on your vocal skill, eh, Lowell?” Nyssa asked, her now grumpy friend crossing his arms and peering back down at her.
“One day!” He simply said.
“Yes, yes, one day.”
Silence followed suit as Lowell sat back down and Nyssa stared at her image on the river’s surface. Ebbing along with the flow of the water, her face distorted itself more than once, but every once in a while her image stayed true, and Nyssa was allowed to catch a glimpse of herself. Her long, curly blonde hair cascaded down to the edge of her neck, her deep blue eyes blended in with the water, and her light skin glistened in the sunlight. Her image reminded her of stories her father used to tell her and Remus when they young, stories about woodland nymphs and wolves chasing each other for love. She smiled at the memories; only a very few would ever remember Ulrick as a gentle father from time to time.
As if reading her mind, Lowell mimicked her smile. “You really do appear like a magical, lovely nymph living in this forest. I swear, I thought you were some sort of angel when you appeared to me two years ago. Oh man, I’m way too sappy, aren’t I?”
Nyssa giggled. “The very fact you said that says you are.”
Movement out of the corner of her eye snapped her to attention and to her feet, causing Lowell to mimic her.
“What is it?” He asked.
“Black fur…” Nyssa whispered. “A stray Changeling?” She hadn’t gotten a good look at whatever passed them by, but the thing’s scent began to drift towards them, filling her nostrils. The smell was thick and heavy, like charred leather. The scent of Changelings.
Lowell noticed the scent too, because he eyed Nyssa with a frown. “What do you want to do? We could still sneak away.”
Nyssa growled. “No way! We’re chasing it, running it down. Now go change behind that tree already.”
Lowell grinned wickedly. “Yes, ma’am.”
Without waiting for Lowell to duck behind the tree, Nyssa began to strip quickly, stuffing her clothes into her satchel and shifting back into her wolf form. Lowell came back seconds later in his wolf form as Nyssa placed her satchel under the boulder. Growling low at Lowell, Nyssa pounced away, racing after the dark figure she spotted earlier.
The two wolves darted through the thickets, up and over tiny hills, following the scent. They ran and ran and ran, but it wasn’t until minutes later that they caught sight of the Changeling sprinting into overgrown vegetation. The plant life was so thick that the two got stuck trying to shimmy through. The Changeling, a jet-black small cougar, had a much easier time slipping in between the corners and holes; it caught sight of them as Lowell yelped at the prodding of a large thorn, and hissed at them both.
Usually Changelings would stop at nothing to chase after their prey, not be chased themselves. But recently the stray Changelings wandering the forest were different, more aware of their own safety. It was like they served a different master, they were not like the Changelings that served Orpheus.
Enraged at the sight of the Changeling slipping away, Nyssa tried to force her way through, but instead got tangled in a few vines, trapping her from going in any direction. Nyssa roared in annoyance as she watched the Changeling duck into a tiny hole in the earth. By the time Lowell had torn the vines off of Nyssa’s limbs and body, the Changeling was gone. There wasn’t anything else to do now except circumvent the vines and sniff the entrance of the hole and hope for some kind of lead.
Lowell nudged her coat with his nose, telling her they needed to leave. There was nothing else they could do.
Letting it go, Nyssa roared her annoyance and backed off.
She found it amazing how easily she ran after a monster. If the younger, shier Nyssa was in this situation, she never would have chased after it. She would have taken Lowell’s initial advice, snuck away while she had the chance. But she was different now. Different enough to chase after her fears. Maybe even different enough to move on from her past eventually.
Maybe.
Lowell took the lead in heading back to the river where they stashed their garments. The two didn’t dare stop to shift forms and clothe themselves, instead opting to simply grab their satchels and run for Gray Creek. If they couldn’t run down the Changeling themselves, they needed to inform their Alpha.
They needed to talk to Darius. Nyssa hoped she’d be able to stand tall in front of him.
Chapter Two: Nyssa
E ven if Nyssa had changed, Gray Creek hadn’t. Well it had slightly, but it still felt the same.
Situated in the middle of the western half of the Oldwood, Gray Creek was surrounded on all sides by the tall, thick trees and misty, cool air that peppered the entire western half. Wooden homes and structures were erected between the trees and around them, with the whole of Gray Creek expanding thanks to the influx of cat shifters who wanted to try living away from Red Rock. A single, gigantic pond marked the dead center of Gray Creek, and as Nyssa and Lowell passed under the great arch that signaled the main entrance, she couldn’t help but stare at the pond. That was were Darius had dealt the killing blow to her father.
She could still picture that day, when the pond ran red with her father’s blood. It had left her numb, and her father’s dying breaths poked holes in her heart. Even now Nyssa felt the blood rush from her face, her body running cold like the howling wind that blew strands of her hair into her face.
“You okay?” Lowell asked as they came to a stop beside the pond. “You look pale. Did you step on a poison plant while we were running home?”
Nyssa shook her head. “No... I’m fine. Just remembering the past, is all.”
Lowell grunted. “You mean when the previous Alpha was killed? I remember that day. I was hiding somewhere at the back of the crowds, watching Ulrick stumble forward, and that Darius...not even showing an ounce of fear.” He crossed his arms, stepping closer to Nyssa. “I don’t blame you for hating the guy; I would too if he offed my father.”
Nyssa shot him an angry look. “I don’t hate Darius, Lowell. He was right, he saved us! My father was blind and pig-headed. he would have doomed us to either pointless deaths or to being slaves to Orpheus.”
Lowell had to do a double-take, clearly shocked that he’d said the wrong thing. “I didn’t mean to say that…”
“Sure you didn’t.”
The two remained silent for a while, simply standing by the pond and staring across its diameter, listening to the bustling crowd all around them. Lowell shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot, running a hand through his dark tawny hair.
“Don’t you think it’s weird to see so many cat shifters around here though?” He asked nonchalantly, prodding Nyssa to keep talking. “I mean, it’s only been a couple of years, and yet it’s almost feels like cat shifters have always been around, mingling with us and acting like we’re all buddies now.”
Nyssa eyed him suspiciously. “You don’t like cat shifters, I take it?”
“I don’t have any reason to. My parents fought during the Pack and Pride war, but they both survived. I just think it’s...strange. Feels weird. Gives me an itch that I just can’t seem to get rid of.”
Nyssa understood what he was saying. Most of it anyway. It did feel weird to see how naturally shifters from the Pride moved into Gray Creek. Glancing around, Nyssa spied a number of cat shifters and wolf shifters talking and walking amongst each other, trading at wooden stands and helping each other build new homes for new shifters who came from Red Rock. This exchange was part of the peace deal that Darius and the Pride’s Alpha came up with, a way to really see both races as a single, friendly entity. She knew at this very moment there were wolf shifters living at Red Rock too; she couldn’t well imagine what it was like for them as she’d never been past the border river before.
But at the end of the day, Nyssa knew coexisting had been the right idea, and Darius’ courage to stand up for this exchange only made Nyssa fall even harder for him, no matter how out of reach he was becoming.
“Speak of the devil…” Lowell said, causing her to look in the direction of a group of shifters carrying large logs from freshly cut down pine trees. Two familiar figures stopped the shifters to talk, big smiles on their faces. Nyssa caught her breath, her heart picking up the pace as her gaze rested on the Pack’s Alpha and his mate.
Darius...gray-haired, tall and muscular, he stood tall amongst the other shifters, his voice booming naturally through the main hub of Gray Creek. His bold, vibrant eyes matched with his body language, open and welcoming to anyway who would approach him. Next to him stood the radiant Amara, his mate and cat leader of the Pack, the first in their history. With her platinum blonde hair and beautiful green eyes, and amazing, sleek figure, she was undeniably gorgeous, and her smile infectious. The duo made a striking impression upon everyone they stopped, with a few shifters even stopping to worship them. Everyone loved them both; they both deserved it for saving them all.
Myriad emotions began to stir inside at the sight of them both walking through their home. These days Nyssa didn’t get much opportunity to speak with Darius because of his new status. He and Amara were always out and about, helping the community, disbanding scuffles and just making Gray Creek better. And when they weren’t working to make Gray Creek a better place to live, they were off on their own. The closest Nyssa had gotten to speak to Darius alone was when her brother invited her to a run with Darius, just the three of them like old times. That was months ago. Now even her brother was incredibly busy, creating packs to go on patrol and rarely arriving home before the sun rose every morning.
It was all enough to make Nyssa brood like Darius once did every day.
“Look at them,” Lowell began, his envy clearly edging his tone. “Walking around in broad daylight, showing off to the rest of us, as if we didn’t know they were mates, or that Darius was the Alpha.”
Nyssa couldn’t help but snicker. “Jealous much?”
He winked at her. “Maybe a tad. Could you imagine if I was the Alpha, though? I’d be able to show off my amazing muscles all the time.” Flexing to prove his point, a few women walking by eyed him hungrily. Nyssa rolled her eyes once again at her friend, his charm getting through to her core.
“Nyssa!” A familiar, friendly voice called from across the way.
Nyssa froze, her gaze locking on Darius. He was looking straight through her...no, straight at her! His steely eyes washed over her, making her tremble slightly, and she clammed up as he and Amara walked over to them both. Lowell clicked his tongue under his breath as they came to a stop, and so Nyssa elbowed him, causing her friend to jerk to the side.
“Ah!” He nearly shouted. “Nyssa, what was that for?”
Nyssa put her hands on her hips. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
As Lowell muttered something under his breath, Darius chuckled. “I knew it was you. Just as lively as ever, are we?” His voice was like a fine ale hitting the back of her throat and sizzling inside her. That feeling led to more thoughts about Darius and her, alone, doing things that weren’t quite acceptable at the moment. It took Darius voice to bring her back out of her daydream. “So, how are you doing, Nyssa? I know I haven’t been able to see you or Remus as much as I’d like...”
Nyssa quickly shook her head. “No, no, it’s all good! I know how busy you two are…” She gazed at Amara who stayed silent and smiling beside Darius. “I’m fine, and so is Remus.”
“I’m fine too, you know,” Lowell interjected. “Don’t forget about me, the love of your life, Nyssa.”
Nyssa punched Lowell in the shoulder. “You aren’t the love of my life, Lowell.”
Both Darius and Amara chuckled as they two of them argued like a mated couple. “You two sure have a good chemistry,” Amara commented. “You sure you’re not together?”
The comment pained her, but Nyssa vehemently denied it. “No, we’re definitely not. I’m not ready to settle down just yet.”
Darius clasped her on the shoulder, making her mind whirl. The strength of his touch made her body shake and heat up, and she was sure her cheeks were aflame. If Darius noticed, he didn’t show any signs, and instead his grip tightened. “Well, I’m just glad to see you. You two should come by our home sometime, maybe for supper. Bring Remus if you ever have the time. Stop by whenever, okay?”
Nyssa nodded out of a mix of obedience to her Alpha and her inability to speak plainly to the man she was in love with. Darius and Amara began to walk past them. “Well, see you guys!” Amara said.
“Ah, wait!” Lowell said, causing the two to stop dead in their tracks.
“Something wrong?” Darius called.
“Yeah, um, we found another Changeling in the woods. We tried to chase it, but it got away from us,” Lowell explained. “Wiggled into this small hole in the ground, leading somewhere neither of us could follow. We came back to report it.”
Darius nodded, as if Lowell’s report was commonplace. “Go talk to Remus. He’s the the one always off searching for those things. He should be at the western edge of the forest, rounding up volunteers to comb through the Oldwood. You could probably still catch him if you run over now. Is there anything else?”
Lowell faltered. “Ah, no…”, he glanced to Nyssa, who looked at the ground. “We’re good, I guess.”
“Alright, well see you guys around.” Darius turned to Amara, “Come on, let’s go.”
Nyssa watched sullenly as Darius and Amara strolled away, shouting and speaking to other shifters as they walked. It was like Nyssa was just another of Darius’ rounds. She understood why it would feel like that, but at the same time it still hurt. Lowell eyed her.
“You okay?” He asked. “You can just hang out while I go to inform Remus of the Changeling.”
She shook her head, sighing. “No, if I stay here, I think I’ll just go crazy. I need to do something to get my mind out of the gutter. Come on, let’s go together. Maybe we can help Remus with his hunt.”
Lowell smiled, his cheery appearance brightening Nyssa’s mood. He began to jog away. “Alright, then let’s go already! Come on, come on, hurry it up! You heard the Alpha, we don’t have all day!”
Nyssa smiled weakly and ran after him, her mind like a whirlpool, only able to recall memories of her and Darius together. The pain of watching Darius walk away from her began to dwindle a bit, though, as she chased after her friend.
Chapter Three: Jorah
“ What have I told you about traveling down the mountain? It is forbidden!” Dallan shouted, spittle flying from his creaking jaw.
“Seer, please, just listen to reason,” Jorah asked. Their words echoed in the narrow cave they resided in, its walls slick and wet, bouncing any words that came their way. But Jorah was used to the caves, to the dark crater-sized holes and fading light, the slippery smooth surfaces of the insides and the pointed rock formations of the outside. They were all too normal for him, things he’d seen his entire life. Yelling in this one, the cave he called home, wasn’t bizarre either. It was almost a regular occurrence between him and Dallan. Every day saw the two bicker endlessly about the ways of their world, whether or not it was safe to even peer down from their perch atop the Northern Mountains. “It’s not like wondering what the other Clans are like is dangerous! We aren’t doing anything wrong, even under clan law.”
“Even so, it is a sin if a member of the clans somehow sees you,” Dallan growled, clutching onto his staff to keep from falling forward and smashing his face against the cave floor. Matted, long dark gray hair was swept over to one side of his small head in tube-like shapes, making it appear like a dense spider’s nest rested upon his head. “What if they attack you? Throw rocks or run you down? Wolves and cougars are hunters, not friends.”
“Those are baseless assumptions,” Jorah said through tightly clenched teeth. His frustration was growing tiresome, and honestly all Jorah wanted to do was run out into the snow and suck in the fresh mountain air. Between the smoking fire pit in the middle of their cave and Da
llan’s scorching voice, Jorah was beginning to sweat. “Even before we were forced from our homes in the Blackwood, the wolves and cougars were friendly with our people, traded with us! You should know, you were alive back then. Others attest-”
“Enough, Jorah!” Dallan shouted, his body quaking at the force of his own anger. The long dark gray beard that clung to his face barely moved when Dallan spoke. Many of the children often claimed Dallan’s beard came from the hair of dead rats; Jorah was no child, but it was a nice idea to focus on whenever Dallan battered him with words. “You will stay away from the edge of the mountains, do you understand me?”
Flushing red, Jorah grunted and stood, too restless to stay cooped up in his home cave. “Jorah!” Dallan called behind him. Jorah didn’t bother to respond as he stomped from the sloping cave, leaving the old Seer behind in shadowy dark. Breaching the warm afternoon sunlight, Jorah blocked the blinding light with the back of his hand as he trudged forward, listening to Dallan’s loud muttering echo still coming from inside. The rocky exterior forced Jorah to be careful of his foot placements, though more than once he stepped on a pointed rock, causing sharp pains to shoot through his body. He was used to it, though; for his entire life he’d been stepping on these jagged formations, never able to go further than what he or Dallan could see from their cave. But now Jorah ventured further on his own, or with his friends; he was much too old to abide by the Seers’ rules and old-fashioned ways.
There was an expansive world below the Northern Mountains, entire peoples his forefathers interacted and mingled with. Maybe even his parents…
Jorah shook his head as his boots crunched the compact snow that blanketed the ridge. No, he didn’t want to think of his parents now. They abandoned him. There was no reason for him to really care whether they were even still alive or not. Whoever they were, they left Jorah at the mouth of Dallan’s cave right after he was born and left to see the world beyond the Northern Mountains. Jorah would have been nothing more than a burden if they had taken him along…