Ryan’s expression turned bitter. “Says Miss Perfect. You wouldn’t have anything to worry about, would you?”
Ana didn’t know what to say. She’d tried lightening the mood by being playful and it had backfired on her. Maybe she shouldn’t bother.
Jordan popped his head in the kitchen and announced, “It’s almost time to meet up. You guys ready yet? Lifen doesn’t like it when we’re late.”
Ana stared at the clock on the stove and scooped a spoonful of yogurt into her mouth. Derek rolled his eyes at Jordan’s comment and busied himself scouring the cupboards, presumably for a quick breakfast.
“You’d better get a move on then, Jordan,” Ryan said, leaning against the oven and taking a bite of his eggs. “Don’t worry Ana, she wouldn’t get mad if you were late.”
Ana swallowed another quick bite and dropped the remaining yogurt into the trash. She’d lost her appetite.
“Today I think we’re going to do something different,” Lifen announced with an amused smirk on her face.
They had just done their morning meditation, connecting with their energy cores. Ryan had arrived a couple minutes late, which scored him a reprimanding grimace from Lifen. Ana wondered if he’d done it on purpose. Just to make a point.
The boys looked questioningly at each other, as if they were trying to read each other’s minds.
“What do you mean, different?” Jordan asked curiously.
“After talking to Ana last night, it made me think,” Lifen said. “Something that might help everyone is a little teamwork.”
Everyone, except Derek, glared at Ana. She stared at her hands and wished she were invisible. Being noticed wasn’t her thing. But being noticed and hated was agonizing.
“I have taken a piece of my clothing and hidden it on our mountain range within a five-mile radius,” Lifen said. “No wandering off the property. Don’t think about heading to the ski slopes again, Ryan.”
Ana could hear Jordan whispering. “This’ll be easy.”
Lifen stood with her arms crossed and a faint grin played across her lips. “It might not be as easy as you think, because for this challenge you may only choose one animal form and you must remain in that state when you all retrieve the item you’re tracking and bring it back home to me.”
“Cool—this is cake.” Ryan uncrossed his legs and jumped to his feet. He put his hand out to help Ana, and when she reached for it, he faked her out and shrugged. “Don’t slow us down, and we’ll show you how it’s done.”
What a gentleman. He was really making it hard to like him. Maybe it was his superpower.
Derek got up. “Man, why do you gotta be that way? Here, Ana.” He helped lift her to her feet.
“That will not be how to succeed in this challenge, Ryan,” Lifen said. “You must work together. I will be watching.” Lifen led them out of the meditation room and instructed them to get changed into their robes and meet back at the front door.
While Ana slipped out of her clothing and into her cover-up she worried about the animal form she’d take. It was only her first week in training and so far she’d only become a finch and a rabbit. She knew that wasn’t anything to complain about, but she didn’t want to be the reason they didn’t complete the challenge. It may have had nothing to do with saving Chance, but if she was going to live here for the time being, she would rather get along with Ryan and Jordan. She was being hard enough on herself without all their comments and looks too. It was doing a number on her self-confidence.
Ana tightened the knot of her cloth belt and walked down the hallway in her slippers. The guys were already waiting at the front door along with Lifen, who was clothed in another flowing silken dress. She wasn’t wearing a jacket or even a scarf, although a pair of fashionable leather boots tightly wrapped her feet. Ana guessed they were more for display than necessity.
“Are you all ready for your challenge?” Without waiting for an answer, Lifen turned around and went outside.
Since early morning, clouds had begun to fill the sky, blanketing the sun with a gray veil. A chill brushed up Ana’s spine when the air touched her skin. She wrapped her arms across her chest and followed behind Jordan and Ryan as they trailed behind their teacher.
Derek walked beside her for a few steps only to mutter in her ear. “Don’t worry. You’ll do fine.”
She hoped he was right. They were probably used to doing these sorts of things, but she wasn’t. Despite her worry, a flutter of excitement was building in her stomach. All the times she’d watched Chance run off into the forest as a bear, or scamper away as a monkey, fulfilling some new and interesting test, she’d envied him. Even if he wasn’t there, she’d try to make him proud. Ana imagined it was him moving beside her, that it was his shadow overlapping hers on the walkway. How long had it been now since she’d last seen him? Two weeks? Or more? Maybe it hadn’t been that long, but it felt like an eternity. Since she’d met him they hadn’t been away from each other for more than a day. Her dream, or whatever it was, had left her feeling melancholy. She just wanted to smell his spicy scent, or touch his lips again. Her cheek quivered.
Not again. Pull it together, Ana. If the guys see you they’ll give you a hard time.
“Are you paying attention, Ana?” Lifen asked.
They were standing in the driveway and at the top of the walkway. Everyone had formed a semicircle around Lifen and she was staring at Ana now.
“Yeah, I am now, sorry.”
“Good,” Lifen said. “You must obey the rules of this challenge. Follow my scent away from the house in search of my shawl. It is within this mountain range, and within view of the lake, so if you leave the area in search of some fun as you call it, Ryan, then you will not be allowed to join in on shifting lessons for three days.”
“Seriously?” Ryan muttered and threw a hard-packed snowball off the mountainside.
“Yes, I am serious. Plus, you must select only one animal form to assume for this exercise. Until you return home, this will be the only shape you will take. You must all get to the shawl together. You are not to leave any individual behind. I will be monitoring you, so if you break any of the rules, I will know. Do you have any questions?”
“We can take any animal shape?” Ryan asked, looking pleased.
“Yes, any animal shape. You may all take a minute to discuss your plan before you begin.”
“I know what form I’m taking,” Jordan said.
“Great, but I don’t think being a brownnose counts as an animal,” Ryan retorted quickly and ran his fingers through his hair. “I know what I’m doing, but I’m not discussing it with you losers. I’ll be able to move quick and track without a problem. The question is, what’s the newbie gonna be? Think you can shift into an animal that won’t get swallowed by the snow?”
Ana bit her lip and wondered the same thing. She’d been practicing the rabbit and finch over the last few days, although she knew she had some other mappings available to her. Chance’s experiences were open to her, if she could unlock them, and if she had the capability to manifest them.
Derek held his hand up. “Lay off her, man. How’re we going to work as a team if we can’t even make a plan? I was thinking about shifting into a bighorn ram—I’ll be able to climb the mountains without a problem. Please tell me someone is shifting into something that can track well.”
“I’ve got it covered,” Ryan answered.
“And don’t worry, Ana. Whatever you can do, we’ll make it work. Okay, let’s try to stick together and remember why we’re out there—to find Lifen’s shawl.” Derek rubbed his palms together and eyed the cloudy sky. “Let’s hope it doesn’t start snowing.”
Ana stood beside Lifen and watched the boys close their eyes in concentration. White hairs began to grow out from Derek’s chocolate skin while he shrank down and collapsed onto his hands and knees. His ears elongated and long horns curled out from his forehead. Within seconds, a ram was standing on Derek’s robe in the snow. He lifted his legs
tentatively and made a soft bleating sound.
She may have seen it many times, but it was still just as awesome watching a human shift into an animal. Ana scratched the top of the creature’s head and rubbed his nose, remembering the tingling that often remained on the snout. A billow of steam came out of Jordan’s mouth and he untied his belt just as he began to grow in size. His pale skin turned chestnut and shiny fur covered his large body. A horse’s muzzle stretched out and nearly bumped into Ana and she had to step back to avoid getting hit. Jordan clomped his hooves on the ground and neighed.
“Bigger isn’t always better, man.” Ryan swatted the horse’s back. He loosened his robe and looked at Ana. “Try not to get too excited.”
“I’ll try.”
Just like the other guys, fur erupted all over his skin, covering his tattoos and obscuring his body. She wasn’t sure if it was a dog at first, but when he faced her with his broad shoulders and regal face, she couldn’t help but laugh. Some girls might find a wolf sexy, but she preferred bears.
“It is your turn, Ana,” Lifen said.
Ana’s amusement evaporated and she looked at Lifen. It was time to make up her mind. She wasn’t sure if she’d be able to take the form of a larger animal like the guys had selected. As much as she liked taking flight as a bird, she didn’t think it was a good choice right now and a rabbit might get trampled underfoot by accident. What else was an option?
Memories of animal visitations washed through her thoughts. Last spring her worries revolved around her health and a looming heart transplant. Now she was healthier than she’d ever been, but Chance’s life was in the balance. Even though it was a painful time, falling in love and hoping for a happily ever after when it wasn’t in the cards, she missed those precious moments with Chance. Every day with him had been a blessing and was cherished.
Her mind was made up. She discreetly wiped away the moisture from her eyes and took a deep breath. Ana closed her eyes and the warm glow that radiated from her chest flowed throughout her body. The animal mapping that had been passed from Chance to her became her focus. Its shape, illuminated with blue threads, formed the embodiment of the furry mammal.
Ana thought about Chance sunning himself in animal form in the field below her stargazing rock and his bear heartline necklace that shone against his fleecy white chest. It had been the clue that led to her suspicion of his supernatural secret. While she experienced her memories, a familiar tingly sensation ran through her body. She shrank down onto all fours and stared at her red paws tangled in her robe. As gingerly as she could she stepped out of the fabric pile and stretched, then rubbed her snout on her leg, trying to chase away the itch.
“A red fox. Now if you are all ready, you may get started.”
Shadows fell across her body and Ana looked up into the faces of her teammates. The wolf and ram jumped out of the way of the horse, which carefully spun in a circle. Ana lifted her nose and sniffed the air. Although Lifen hadn’t instructed her how to track, she tried to recall what Balam had taught Chance. She suspected Lifen didn’t care about how well they tracked, but more about the means they took to complete the challenge. That they worked together.
The smells that brushed past her nose were familiar, but so much more vibrant. She recognized Lifen’s scent as well as the strong, sharp bite from pine trees. An earthy aroma from the rocks and soil hung heavy on the air and she could even taste the moisture collecting around her.
Jordan moved across the driveway, toward their training building. Ryan and Derek turned to look at her before following after. Ana’s first steps in the snow left the pads on her paws cold and wet, but she kept surprisingly warm. While they moved in a line past the edge of the property, she wondered how strange they might look to an outside observer.
It became apparent how awkward a choice the horse form was once they moved along the steep mountain. Although the ground was covered with a foot of snow, just below the surface was gravel and slick rocks. The thick tree line was nearby, but below their altitude and wrapped around most of the western side of the lake. She hoped Jordan would have an easier time once they reached the pines. He quickly fell to the back of the line, just behind Ana.
Ryan took the lead with his snout in the air, which Ana assumed meant he was tracking Lifen’s scent, although she had no way of knowing for sure. As long as they could keep up in this way, then they just might have a chance at completing the challenge.
Snow clung to Ana’s underbelly while she leapt into the footprints left by Derek and Ryan. Some sections were deeper than others and she wished she’d picked an animal with longer legs so she could have simply walked through the snow instead of being forced to jump through it.
She wasn’t sure how much time had passed but they’d made it to the southernmost point of the lake. The edge of the milky blue water was white from the ice that had begun to form over the last week of freezing temperatures. Lodgepole pines surrounded them and although they provided good protection from erosion, sections were so dense Jordan had a challenging time winding his way through.
A breeze blew past and Ana thought she detected Lifen’s familiar scent on the opposite side of the lake. Ryan seemed to notice it too, since he picked up the pace, running along the lake’s perimeter. The irregular edge of the water split into channels that hid within the forest. Through this shallower section, the ice had hardened through most of the water, but at varied thicknesses, based off its opacity. If it weren’t for Jordan’s weight and Derek’s hooves, she guessed they’d be able to cut across the surface of the lake.
While she glanced over her shoulder at one of the inlets across the bay she noticed a large dark shape moving in the trees. She paused mid-step and focused her eyes. A bear. Her heart squeezed in her chest and she ran closer to the edge of the shore. The beast was standing on its hind legs and staring up the mountain. It looked like there was a lump on its back . . . was it a backpack?
Chance.
Without any further thought, Ana scrambled across the frozen lake, her paws sliding out beneath her as she went. She kept to the white sections of the ice, careful to avoid the translucent, thin parts. Her heartbeat thundered in her ears at the thought of being reunited with her love. He’d changed his mind about Lifen helping him and he must have tracked her all this way.
Claws scratched on the ice behind her and she tilted her head sideways to see a gray wolf racing after her. He probably thought she was going after Lifen’s shawl, but there was no way to tell him otherwise. She wasn’t about to stop now, not when she was so close to reuniting with Chance.
When she neared the far shore, her paws broke through a patch of thin ice covered with snow and she dipped into the frigid water. She yelped and clawed her way out, dripping wet. Ana stepped onto the embankment and shook her body, sending droplets flying in every direction. She jumped through the snow toward the bear and stopped at its feet. It was then that she noticed it wasn’t wearing a backpack.
The beast snorted and a deep rumble reverberated from its chest. Ana took a step back and noticed two silvery faces peering out at her from within a cavernous hole in the ground behind the grizzly. Then realization sank in.
Not only was this not Chance, it was a mother preparing for hibernation and Ana had just stirred the hornets’ nest. The mama bear stomped forward and swung out her paw, narrowly missing Ana’s snout. She froze, unsure what to do. Ana had been so certain it was Chance, she wasn’t prepared in that moment to defend her life.
From behind she heard growling. The sound broke her from her trance. A gray muzzle hovered over her head and she felt fur brush against her back. Ryan’s leg lifted and pushed against her chest. She took the hint and scurried backward, out from underneath him. While she backed up, the grizzly lifted to its hind feet, an impressive three hundred pounds on display.
This wasn’t good. They needed to get out of there fast. The wolf kept his body low to the ground, his hackles raised. From the sounds coming from his mouth, his lips were
parted in a toothy grimace. Ryan took a cautious step back.
The bear lunged forward and ran at him. Ryan parted his teeth and bit at the large shaggy beast. Ana watched in horror. She couldn’t let him get hurt. An idea formed and she acted fast. Instead of going back to the lake and safety, she looped around to the cave opening. Curious little faces peered out at her.
All it took was one squawk, and mama bear stopped advancing on Ryan. Her paws pressed into the snow and she spun around to return to her kids. At the sight of the thundering grizzly, Ana tore through the snow, back through the trees, and toward the lake. She hoped Ryan had taken the opportunity to get out of there, because she didn’t want to have to face that angry mother again.
Ana raced onto the ice and scanned the surface. The regal form of the gray wolf plodded toward her. She was so happy they’d come out of the experience unscathed she could have done a flip. When he met her, he dropped his head down to stare her in the eyes. She returned the stare, hoping he wasn’t furious with her. All he needed was one more reason to dislike her and any possibility for them to become friends was out the window.
A strange hooting bark came from his chest and he put his paw over her neck. She couldn’t be certain, but she had the feeling he was laughing at her. If she could have laughed she would have. There was nothing else to do in that situation. By the skin of their teeth they’d avoided getting turned into a rug for some grizzly cubs.
A horse whinnied and they looked through the forest above the lake. A ram and a brown colt stared back at them. Ana didn’t want to wait around to see if the bear held a grudge. She plodded up the mountain to meet her friends with Ryan right behind her.
Derek and Jordan stared at them with wide, unblinking eyes as if to say, “What were you thinking?”
Ryan wasn’t fazed and jogged ahead of them with his snout in the air, back to tracking Lifen’s scent. It wasn’t as if she could answer any questions anyway, so Ana plodded after him. The soft footsteps in the snow and steady breathing let her know the others were close behind.
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