The Panther's Rival

by Emilia Hartley

  “Fight!” one boy yelled.

  “There’s a fight! Hurry!

  Merk was the first one on his feet. He sprinted by Coach Winston and the group of kids that had just entered. Kara followed him, then the kids, and finally Coach Winston.

  “Oh my God…” said Kara as she looked out onto the gym floor.

  It was RJ. But he was different. He was hairier and taller, bigger. It seemed impossible but he was no longer the skinny boy they had seen the day before, rather, in a matter of moments, it seemed, he had hit a growth spurt, an exponential one. Merk knew for certain that shifters, panthers and wolves in particular, experienced a supernatural growth spurt if it was triggered by something. Evidently, something had happened in the gym or outside of the gym that had caused RJ to grow.

  Merk moved closer to him. RJ was close to his height now. He still had a wiry frame but his muscles within that frame were bulging. His face was more chiseled around the jawline, he had facial hair, along with hairy arms, and his clothes were torn from the change.

  “They were at practice – we saw it when it happened. He was running the ball and then he got hit and when he got up…”

  Merk knew the rest. He was in human form but the wolf shift was happening inside of him. This was his first time and because it had been spurred on by a hit, something that was forceful or violent, his wolf force was reacting, causing him to become imbalanced. It was like being caught in a change. His mind wasn’t all the way there and neither was his body or physical abilities. It all fluctuated and would do so now for several days. The only thing that they could do was get him away from everyone so he didn’t seriously harm anyone.

  “Is this because he’s a….?” Coach Winston leaned in to ask Merk.

  Merk didn’t answer him. RJ needed to be stopped. He was swinging and throwing his body around carelessly, attacking his peers and classmates without any provocation. He was like a runaway train. Merk looked at Kara. She eyed him. He knew what he had to do and so did she. If he didn’t then…

  Merk took a deep breath and then ran out on the gym floor. Kids ran by him trying to escape the suddenly wild and crazed star football player. There were times when Merk was still controlled by his emotions when it came to shifting or when his panther force came forward. The power of a shifter, no matter who or what kind of shifter, always carried variability and a random penchant for chaos and carnage. But over time, as you grew older and wiser, as the shifter force within matured and settled, the shifter learned ways to control it. At that point, you could summon your shifter power and abilities and channel them how you saw fit and to what degree. Merk did just that as he ran out to meet RJ. He was the only one that could.

  RJ saw him coming. But this was RJ’s first shift. Merk was too far removed to be handled by a firstling. Merk felt his adrenaline rush through him, his feral nature rise, and his body increase in mass from the panther force within. Mostly, all of the other students had cleared from RJ. They had run off to the side and behind Merk, some of them clearing the gym. Merk could still hear the screams and the frantic pitches of everyone in the background.

  RJ was only a few paces away from him, his face devil’d in a ‘V’ and his teeth fanged from his new canines. It looked like he was caught in the mid-shift, his body unsure of which way it wanted to go. And then it happened: just as Merk was about to reach him, RJ shifted fully into a wolf. It was amazing to watch, even for Merk. The way his skin folded back, almost like a banana peel, removing its layer. Underneath was a newly christened wolf, its thin wet coat with a light grayish sheen. RJ’s eyes glowed a piercing yellow with a pupil that was more than just black but devoid of color, emptiness.

  Merk hadn’t anticipated a change, not a full one at least. Most firstlings never shift fully to their animal counter parts. Being in his human form, he knew he was at a terrible disadvantage. He contemplated shifting to his panther form but it was too late. RJ in wolf form was already lunging at him, his full body completely outstretched; his claws thick and razor sharp. Merk caught the wolf in mid air but the weight of the animal crashed down on him and then they were both on the floor.

  ***

  Merk and the wolf rolled around on the gym floor with the animal trying to get the best of the human that seemingly had super strength, enough to hold him off from clawing straight through his chest. Merk fought hard. He held the wolf off with all of his might. He had a few opportunities, as the wolf tossed and turned and tried to tear at him. He could break his arm or leg. A wound like that would incapacitate him but it would also hurt RJ in his human form. The break could be worse as a human and it might not ever heal. Wolves didn’t have the same healing abilities as Panther Shifters. So Merk had to give up that idea which made his struggle with the firstling beast that much harder.

  Merk was back on his two feet and the panther was on all fours. The wolf circled around Merk, sizing him up. It was the first moment since Merk had thrown himself into the crazy fray that he had a chance to catch his breath. He scanned the gym. Everyone was watching, the gym was crawling with students and teachers, faculty, police, fire fighters. They all just watched. No one dared to jump in and try and help.

  Merk was sure it was one hell of a spectacle to see - a giant wolf clawing at a human being with the human being moving as fast as he was. It must all seem impossible. But still, there seemed to be no end in sight. Merk didn’t know how he was going to get RJ to shift back and when he did, in front of everyone, his family’s secret would be out for sure if it wasn’t already. RJ would never have a normal life again. And as much as Merk now hated Ratty, his father, he didn’t want that for RJ. He was just a kid.

  But then Merk had an idea. He needed to stop him, but he also had to get him out of the gym. The wolf wasn’t faster than him, there was no doubt about that. So if he could just get a little ahead of him, and close enough to one of the side doors, he could get him out in the hallway and out of the sight of everyone for a few moments. Just enough time and distance possibly for him to shift into his panther form and then the race would be on: he could lead RJ away from the school. A wolf chasing a panther.

  Merk was ready to try it. He waited as RJ circled him again. When RJ lunged at him, Merck spun out of the way. RJ was off balanced and it was the perfect opportunity for Merk to act. He took off in a sprint. He pushed himself. He could feel the panther force flowing through his body. His senses were heightened and he could hear RJ panting behind him, his paws pushing against the gym floor, his legs bounding hard. Merk broke through the side door and felt his skin shed and in its place the panther body – smooth fur to the skin and sinewy. Merk rounded the hall and the wolf was right behind him.

  Chapter Eight

  The crowd behind her was waiting for some kind of explanation, something to help them make sense of what they had just seen. Kara could hear the swirling accusations and speculations, right now just rumors of what people thought they had seen. She knew the truth: RJ had shifted. This was his first time. And because of that, he was a volatile mess of hormones and adrenaline, his raw and primal natures of both human and wolf colliding.

  How many people had the young wolf hurt and injured? Why had it happened? Kara’s eyes roved the gymnasium: several people laid on the floor hurt, having been bitten or clawed or pummeled in some way. Too many had gotten hurt, but there could have been way more if Merk hadn’t stepped in when he did.

  The thought of Merk putting himself on the line the way he had brought a smile to her face. It was heroic and just another reason why she was so in love with the man. She was a little concerned about him, being off on his own with a hormonally enraged teenage Wolf Shifter chasing after him. But she had already seen him beaten, bruised, and near death from the Pack’s attack. She was sure that he could handle one pup. The more pressing matter was indeed behind her. Everyone wanted answers and as people began to scatter, retreating to classrooms, some leaving school most likely, everything was in disarray, pandemonium ensued.

  “Mi
ss Daniels!” a voice shouted through the parting crowd of people as they filed out of the series of gymnasium doors.

  It was Principal Lightwood. He fought his way past the pushing and shoving of the exiting crowd. His gait was bothersome to watch, he walked as if rocking to one side then the other, in a very feverish march. Kara had noticed it before, but it seemed more pronounced as he broke free from the despot gaggle of people. The bald wiry man approached her.

  “What is all of this, Miss Daniels!? My God…” his eyes wandered around the gymnasium, sending his head in a spin.

  “Mr. Lightwood –” she started.

  “Oh, God! Never – Never mind… How? How could you and Merk let this happen?!” he asked but it was more than that, there was accusation in his voice.

  “Wait… What?” Kara replied. “Me and Merk?”

  But the answer to her questions was found on his face, more specifically his eyes. He blamed them somehow for this, which was confusing in itself because neither one of them had anything to do with what had just happened to RJ.

  “You two – I warned you, Kara – Didn’t I? I told you not to do the same thing over again, not to go down the same road as you did with Will –”

  “Stop right there!” demanded Kara, pressing her forefinger against the principal’s chest, defiantly. “I dare you! I fuckin’ dare you, you sniveling piece of…”

  Kara caught herself. Two things that you could never take back or undo – intensions and words. The former was obvious and there was nothing that she could do about that, but she didn’t have to follow through, that would be crossing a line for sure, stepping off a ledge that she didn’t want. She loved her job, this town, for all it was worth, and she didn’t want to say anything that would get her fired.

  But Mr. Lightwood was wrong and his assuming and subsequent accusations and clear bias towards her was maddening. A distinct sneer and low and rumbling growl came from Kara. She imagined this was what Merk as a Panther Shifter sounded like – or even Ratty or any one of his wolf pack of shifters – she had never been around him when he actually shifted, he never would let her. The principal backed away.

  I’m – I’m sorry… I spoke hastily and shouldn’t have. I’m sorry, ” said the man, acquiescing as best he could.

  Kara started to say more to him but a horrific scream came from behind her that jarred both her and the principal. She quickly turned around to see a of couple students dragging an almost lifeless body form through the back doors that lead to the football practice field.

  “Oh my god –!” Kara exclaimed.

  Principal Lightwood took a panicked gulp behind her. Kara took off in a run across the gymnasium floor. Before then everything around her, the noise and the people, had been like a layer surrounding her but as she ran towards the injured student it all became one white noise, soundless, a sort of mute array of singularity. Her focus was for this student and the closer she got to him, the more troubling it became. She knew him. Ferdinando. He was in her third period class. Good kid. Smart.

  None of that mattered, not now, not in the state that he was in; a mangled body, his lower left half twisted to the point of his foot facing the opposite direction and from his face down through the middle of his chest to his right leg, bone deep lacerations made in claw marks. He was bloody and gory and Kara didn’t see how it was possible for him to still be alive.

  The two kids tumbled down to the floor with him, both crying. Kara fell to the ground in a slide meeting them.

  “Miss Daniels…” the girl, a cheerleader, cried she wasn’t a student of Kara’s but she had seen her before. “Oh my – my God… Help him! Help him –”

  “Fuck! Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!” the boy who helped carry Ferdinando in was next to her, freaking out over the look of his friend and all the blood that was on him.

  Kara didn’t have time to tend to them though. They seemed okay, just horrified, maybe in shock. But Ferdinando didn’t. It was worse than what she had thought as she ran over. Everything was worse. How he looked. Everything. She thought what do – anything to save this boy. She looked all around. Paramedics were coming in, along with the firemen and all the other ambulatory workers. Behind her and around looked like a scene you would see in the movies or on the news after some tragic event. She couldn’t believe that she was living it. Decisions needed to be made fast and there was no time to get caught up with what happening around her.

  She turned to the cheerleader: “Go! Go get someone – a paramedic – one of them over there – hurry!”

  The girl jumped to her feet and ran off.

  Kara turned to the boy: Go get me some towels from the locker room – Snap out of it! Go!”

  She had to shove him to kick start him. The boy sprinted off. Kara turned back to look down at Ferdinando. He was unconscious and thank God for that. He was a mangled mess. She could literally see the bones in his face because the clawing had been so deep. It was the same for the rest of his body. Kara tore some of her top off and tried wrapping it around one of the wounds. She tried to find the deepest and the worst of them but they were all so bad. She tore more and more, almost stripping herself naked except for her bra but she didn’t care. The only thing she could think of was stopping the bleeding, at least some of it.

  Fuck.

  Blood splattered out of his mouth. It was a small spit.

  Fuck.

  Another one. Then another. It became convulsive as heaves of blood, thick and burnt and crimson came forward, some threatening to choke him. Kara didn’t know what to do. She was watching this young boy die – she didn’t know what to do. She grabbed his hand. Hard. Tears shot out of her eyes and down her cheeks. Wait. She felt something. She could feel something in his hand – no, from his hand. A coolness.

  Then there was a cool wetness. It was pushing against her the palm of her hand and in the juxtaposition of the coolness to her skin. She could feel her own warmth, a vibrant sensation on her skin; it was swirling around, like a ball of energy, unrested, desiring to find a place, a home. Something instinctual told her to get closer to the boy and squeeze his hand as hard as she could and push her will forward into him, send that sensation into him.

  The white noise was now deafening. But Kara leaned forward, as if she was going to kiss the boy. And then something happened. She felt it. It was in her hand. His hand. Then in her chest, a swelling. She felt it pushing forward, like it was rising in side of her. She opened her mouth and a light mist sprinkled out, it then turned to a spray. Kara went with it. She didn’t know what was happening, nothing like this had ever happened before. The more of the mist that came out of her, the lighter she felt and then the weaker.

  Suddenly, the boy gripped her hand. She panicked. She forced her mouth shut and pulled her hand away from him. Kara scurried back on her hands and butt, scooting away from the boy. She felt depleted. Tired. Sick. Like she suddenly had the flu. Her head throbbed almost to a point of blinding her. But the boy looked better. She didn’t know if it was delirium or what, but the boy’s skin was beginning to mend itself, not entirely, not completely, but something otherworldly was happening with him, and then the boy coughed. The sound of gurgling blood followed and then a spit and lurch of clotted blood that unclogged him. The boy began to breathe on his own, crisp, clean breaths. Kara leaned back on her elbows, her tiredness deepening, quickly moving to exhaustion.

  “Hurry! Hurry!” Kara could hear a voice not too far away. “They’re over here –”

  The voice stopped. It was the cheerleader. And she had brought the medic. Kara saw them both although they were hurriedly going out of focus; her migraine was almost unbearable, it felt as if her head was being split wide open. She closed her eyes but then quickly reopened them, fighting the sleep that seemed to be encroaching.

  “How –? Miss Daniels – Oh my God!”

  Everything had gone dark. Blackness was before her, surrounding her. Kara had passed out, but it felt more like an easing out of consciousness than anything else. She
could still hear the white noise – but the deeper she went inside herself, the more the white noise dissipated and the sounds of people, frightened and unnerved broke through. The voice of the cheerleader was the closest and the paramedic – she thought that it was the paramedic. And finally… Nothingness.

  ***

  Kara was groggy when she woke up. Her vision was blurry at first. She felt like she had been run over by a Mack Truck. Very similar to that flu feeling. Her mouth was dry and had an arid taste to it. She eased up from her pier – it seriously felt like that – but it was just a sofa, familiar to the touch; it was Mr. Lightwood’s. She was in his office. What had happened? She thought about the boy and how he had looked. He was dying… But then… In her mind she could see herself and what she had done. She didn’t understand… How had she done that? She hadn’t seen anything like that before… But she had heard of it amongst the Succubi. It was extremely rare and vaguely known, almost to the point of myth. What were the chances that she was a part of this rarity and myth? Kara began to wonder…

  The door to the office opened. Principal Lightwood entered followed by Ratty and his two brothers, his normal partnering of goons. This was the last thing that she wanted or needed. They immediately surrounded her on the sofa, the whole Fairweather crew, looming over her, the principal to the back of them.

  “What do you have to say for yourself?” Ratty asked, his voice cold and accusatory.

  Kara lifted her head, tilting it back slowly so as not to disturb it, not wanting the terrible migraine to come back. Hers and Ratty’s eyes met. He was angry, more than that, incensed. She could see it in his eyes but she could also feel it rolling off him.

  “Me?” she echoed back at him.

  Still looming and demonstrative: “Yeah, you.”