Emergent

by Natasha Brown

  “So, is it anything like that when you heal a shifter from the sickness?” Ana asked with her stomach in her throat. She watched Lifen put the fox back into its carrying case and nervously awaited her answer.

  The latch of the metal door clanged shut and the fox stared out at her from between the bars. Lifen lifted the gray crate off the table and onto the floor. She was much stronger than she appeared. Her thin, lanky frame would have led most to assume she was weak, but she moved with effortless grace. She turned to face Ana and she could see her mentor’s expression was as still as carved stone. This wasn’t good.

  “Healing a shifter with the sickness is very different from anything we’ve done. It isn’t a cancerous growth, a broken bone or even a stomachache. The sickness affects the psyche. When a shifter dies, their power is released from their body. If another shapeshifter or healer is nearby, it is absorbed by them. This power has an imprint of their memories and abilities. If you absorb the thoughts and memories of an unhealthy shifter, your true self can crumble and reform into a new and evil self.”

  While the minutes slipped by and Ana slowly began to recoup some of her lost energy, her lightheadedness disappeared, but not her physical exhaustion. She straightened up, still requiring the table’s support. “What about me? I’ve had a couple of Chance’s memories, but not many. I can count on one hand the amount of times I’ve seen one.”

  “That’s because he was healing you when he died, which is very different. It’s a positive transference of energy and it’s not fragmented or broken. I have experienced a few of Batukhan’s memories, but like you, it hasn’t happened very often, and it has occurred less and less as time passed.”

  “So how do you help someone like Chance then, if it’s not physical?” Ana experienced a sinking feeling in her gut that left her cold.

  “It is connected to the energy pattern that you began to sense today. Every organic animal form has its own unique pattern, and you need to locate the variance of that pattern . . . and remove it,” Lifen said abruptly.

  What does that mean?

  “Remove it?”

  “It goes against the instinct of a healer to take away energy, but it is the only way to help a poisoned shifter. Trying to pinpoint the foreign energy is hard, but it is even more challenging to pull it free without damaging the subject’s psyche—this is why they must be willing, or else you are likely to do serious harm. It is the opposite action of what you did today, and it is very dangerous to you and the infected.”

  Ana swallowed. “Why me?”

  “Because if you pull the energy into yourself, then you will be infected.”

  Lifen’s words sank in and Ana tried to comprehend it. “So how do you pull it out without absorbing it?”

  “You must let go of it once it’s free of the shapeshifter. There is no way for you to practice this, which is why I don’t want you considering it before you’re ready. You are too precious to this world. I do not wish to see you hurt yourself, but I am beginning to understand your tenacity and giving nature.”

  Lifen moved around the table and wrapped her arm around Ana’s waist to help her to the door. Just outside, the echo of animal noises met her ears. Besides her jelly legs, her insides were twisting nervously. The gravity of the situation was sinking in. In no way did it sway her determination to help Chance, but she knew she wasn’t prepared to help him. Not only could she hurt herself, she could cause him harm.

  If she couldn’t even heal a fox, how could she expect to save Chance from the poisoned energy within him? She knew she needed practice, but convincing Lifen to allow her more opportunities would be challenging. Tears threatened to spill out again and her breath grew ragged.

  “Why don’t you go sit down outside and try to reenergize?” Lifen guided her out the back door to the enclosed patio and helped her sit on the sofa. “Take as long as you need before you come in.”

  Ana nodded wordlessly and watched Lifen return inside. She turned to stare numbly out the paneled windows and at the snow outside. Tiny white flakes floated down to the ground, adding to the fluffy blanket that already covered the earth. She looked out at the peaceful scene and fear gripped her heart. How could she help Chance if there was no way to practice what she needed to do? And how could she live with herself if she hurt him?

  Chapter 21

  After the turn of events with Chance, Batukhan suggested they move as quickly as possible. While Aiyana was in the shower, Chance grabbed the keys to his truck and they were soon gliding over the river of pavement, moving north to Canada. He felt at ease behind the wheel again. The only thing that would have made it feel like old times was if Ana were sitting beside him instead of a Mongolian shapeshifter.

  “So, you have no way of reaching this guy?” Chance asked, casting a glance at Batukhan.

  He shook his head in response. “No, he prefers to stay away from society. He remains in animal form most of the time. I think he feels at home in the forest. At peace.”

  “But how’re we going to find the guy?” He didn’t feel like playing a game of Marco Polo in the Canadian wilderness and hoped there was an easier way.

  “I know the area he likes to go to in the winter. It’s just a matter of tracking him down. Have you developed tracking skills yet?”

  Chance recalled the days spent in the Yucatán with his great-grandfather and his last day with him. Balam had left with Ana to give him a test, to see if Chance could find them in the jungle. Instead, he’d found Markus on their heels.

  “Yeah. I can track. But not when I don’t know what I’m tracking.”

  “Good. We’ll get to that when we’re ready. First, we need to get across the border.”

  Batukhan went silent and Chance cranked up his music. It helped drown out the voices in his head and pass the time. They eventually crossed the border and continued north. Batukhan had to pull out a map to remember the way. They drove through the night, taking turns at the wheel. Sometime in the early morning, Batukhan directed him to a turnoff that guided them off the highway and into the trees.

  “There shouldn’t be much traffic through this area this time of year. We should be able to leave your truck here for a while without it drawing attention. Just go down a little farther and look for a place to park on the side of the road that isn’t deep with snow.”

  The tires lost traction in a pothole, and Chance white-knuckled the wheel while backing up a few feet and speeding forward through the bad section. He hoped it wouldn’t be much farther because he wouldn’t want to try leaving after another snowfall. An opening next to the road presented itself and Chance pulled off with a sigh of relief.

  “Alright, grab your pack. We’re in the mountains so you need a good travel form to get you through the snow and one that tracks well.”

  “That won’t be a problem.” Chance opened his door and jumped out. He reached behind his seat and grabbed his bag. Like he’d done before, he pulled free the nylon straps from their attachments at the base of the pack and tied the ends together, leaving a large open loop.

  “What we’re tracking you’ve never seen before. It has a very strong smell, similar to the dung of a cow and ape. Quite unpleasant. I know he tends to keep to the range we’re in now, running north-south. Why don’t we move north from here and see if we can’t pick up the scent? When it gets stronger let me take the lead, so I can make our presence known. We don’t want to get on his bad side.”

  Batukhan stepped out of the cab and began his own preparations for travel while Chance began to strip off his clothing. Although it was freezing, his body’s core temperature remained warm as he undressed. He stuffed his shoes into his bag along with his keys and locked up the driver’s side.

  “I’m ready to go—make sure you lock up your door,” Chance instructed Batukhan while he looped the large strap around his neck and prepared to transform.

  He took a deep breath and exhaled, watching steam puff out in a mushroom cloud. The energy within him ignited at his deman
d and the familiar mapping traced itself through his thoughts. Fur grew in waves over his almond skin, and he towered on his back legs above the top of his truck. The strap of the bag tugged at his throat but remained secure.

  Chance dropped to all fours and grunted. Movement from the other side of the truck drew his attention and he looked around the front grill to see an enormous wolf sauntering around to meet him. Its gun-metal blue fur rustled in the breeze and its head came to the height of the hood. Even though Chance knew he’d never seen a wolf that size before, there was something familiar about it.

  This must have been the form Batukhan had used when he was a soldier in Genghis Khan’s army. It certainly would have done the job in the fear department. The white daggers showing from below his muzzle were a clear threat. Chance saw he had his pack strapped to his back and didn’t want to dwell on Batukhan’s teeth any longer, so he lifted his nose to the air and took in a deep breath, letting in the layers of smells. As many times as he’d taken grizzly form, he was still getting used to his nose’s capabilities. It was like receiving all of the cable channels all at once. Being able to tune the others out and home in on one was the trick. The cutting bite from the pines he discarded, as well as the aroma of the plant life around them and the grease on the hot engine. Batukhan started trotting forward and he followed, keeping his nose up.

  Chance knew the smell of cattle almost all too well. Niyol had had a cattle ranch in Montana and he’d often visited him there throughout his childhood. He’d also gone to the zoo a few times. The most recent visit was with Ana when they’d traveled through Denver just a couple of months back, but he wasn’t sure if he’d be able to revive the specific smell from the great ape building.

  Batukhan ran in the only way he could, half limping, half catapulting himself on his three good legs through the wilderness in a northerly line, keeping away from roads, houses and towns. This was something any shapeshifter got used to when traveling in a predatory animal form, and Chance knew exactly why. The last thing you wanted was to be blown to bits by a shotgun.

  A few hours passed and he hoped they weren’t just getting themselves lost in the great north, when he caught hold of a new smell. It definitely had similarities to cattle but was riper, like a meat-eater. Maybe this was Batukhan’s friend.

  Chance pushed ahead of Batukhan and took the lead. They moved like this for at least an hour, the smell continuing to grow stronger the farther they went. Then, Batukhan ran ahead of Chance and turned around to face him. He slowed to a stop and stared at the wolf who trotted ahead and climbed onto a snowy boulder. There, his gray fur disappeared to reveal Batukhan’s bronzed skin. He cupped his hands around his mouth and let out a reverberating shout. The sound echoed through the valley and he waited. After a minute, a similar call that was more animal than human answered back. Batukhan gave another screech and looked at Chance. “He’ll be here in a minute. Stay still and don’t react.”

  What did that mean?

  Batukhan yelled out, “My friend! It is me. I have brought a soul who is sick and can use your help. If you wish to assist him, we would be grateful!”

  Chance scanned the trees surrounding them and waited for something to happen, anything. He wasn’t sure what to expect, but Batukhan’s warning made him leery. Was a minotaur about to walk out of the forest?

  Before he realized it, a figure had emerged from the snowcapped trees and was already halfway across the open area where Batukhan had perched on the rock. Chance’s jaw dropped open and he would have laughed if he could, but instead a low moan came from his chest. Batukhan shot him a warning glare and he checked himself.

  Chance found himself staring straight at bigfoot. Sasquatch. Whatever the proper name was, it was standing fifty feet from him. Suddenly, Nastas’s memory traced his thoughts. This creature was just like the one that had kidnapped Mai, Nastas’s girlfriend. Chance’s amusement quickly dissolved into dread. He had to tell himself it wasn’t the same one. Nastas had killed the one who had threatened him.

  “Hello, Mac, thank you for showing yourself. I would like to introduce you to Chance, a youngling who would like to free himself from the extra voices in his head. Are you able to help him?”

  Batukhan held his hand out to Chance and he wasn’t sure what to do. Batukhan had told him to stay still. Was he supposed to shift into human form, or give him his paw in greeting?

  The gigantic ape-man turned his eyes on Chance and a chill went down his spine. Humanoid eyes studied him from beneath a veil of long, shaggy brown hair. The bigfoot towered over Batukhan, who was still standing on the small boulder. Its muscular hands hung down to its knees and Chance didn’t doubt he could tear tree trunks from the earth. If this was a shifter, he could understand why he came to greet them in this form. It was far more threatening than a Beware of Dog sign.

  After he stared Chance down for a minute, he turned around and started sauntering off perpendicular from the way he came. Batukhan readjusted his pack around his neck and called over to Chance, “Follow me.”

  He shifted back into the large wolf form, tucked his gimpy front leg up and propelled himself after the bigfoot named Mac. Chance didn’t waste any time and followed after them not wanting to get left behind with his jaw gaping at the snow. They ran for about five minutes and the pace slowed.

  Chance smelled the strong aroma of a fire and the curl of gray smoke rose above the trees. Batukhan crested the top of a hill and he disappeared below the horizon. Chance rushed to catch up, his breath ragged in his ears. The wolf tracks led down into a gully that was surrounded with pines, and there at the bottom was a crackling fire held snugly by a fire pit. He spotted a dark opening in the opposite bank. A cave.

  His big bear paws sank into the snow and he slowed down the slope so he wouldn’t fall on his face, something he’d done before. Carrying around that kind of weight could be hard when going downhill, he’d discovered. Finally he joined Batukhan, who had already shifted back to human form at the foot of the fire. His travel companion pulled out clothing from his pack and began to dress himself.

  “You are safe, Chance,” Batukhan said with a look of amusement. “You prefer to be a bear or human?”

  As a matter of fact . . .

  “Either way, I don’t think Mac speaks bear. Why don’t you make yourself comfortable?”

  Before Chance joined Batukhan in human form, he scanned what he guessed he would call a home for the mysterious shaman he’d come to visit. Footprints led into the dark cave and he could only guess that was where he’d gone.

  You should not trust them. A shifter cannot trust anyone.

  The same strong voice that had persisted at the corners of his mind over the last month or more was pulling on the loose threads, fraying his conscience. He hadn’t heard it since those regretful moments at his home in Clark Bend. Things had quieted down a bit after Batukhan had told his story, and Chance decided he couldn’t allow himself to learn the hard lessons his travel companion had been forced to live with. If he lost Ana forever, then there wasn’t anything left for him. She was his North Star and his guiding light. Without her, there would only be darkness.

  Chance closed his eyes, smelled the char of the fire, and grasped to stay in control of his own thoughts, if he could even tell them apart anymore. Just as he tried to silence the hum, a voice he trusted more than anyone’s whispered in such a low murmur he barely caught the words. Patience, Chance. Breathe deeply and clear your mind.

  Right. He did as Niyol often instructed and tried to clear his thoughts by taking long, slow breaths. A low, soft groan rumbled in his chest and without opening his eyes, he let his fleshy human form call him home. The protective pads on his paws metamorphosed, and the ice began to melt under the warmth of his feet. His pack pulled against his neck. He looked up to see Batukhan fully dressed and sitting beside the campfire on a fallen log that had been stripped of its branches and turned into a make-shift bench.

  Chance hurriedly pulled a set of clothes out of hi
s backpack and slipped them on. Not that he was terribly cold, but he wasn’t one for hanging out in the nude no matter what the setting. After he perched beside Batukhan on the log, Chance turned back to look at the cave again.

  Instead of the huge, hairy bigfoot, a tall man appeared from the shadows. His skin was a darker complexion than Chance’s, but he shared the same black hair and hazel eyes. Chance thought of the memories he’d seen from both Nastas’s and Niyol’s childhood and the man standing before him now would have fit in perfectly. That is, except for the fact that he was wearing a gray pea coat with jeans and a Canucks hockey jersey.

  Batukhan turned his head and stood up. “Chance, I would like to properly introduce you to Mac. I always pronounce his full name wrong, so I shortened it so I wouldn’t offend him.”

  Mac walked barefoot through the snow and reached his hand out to Chance. His creased eyes held Chance’s gaze and he seemed to be trying to determine something.

  “Nice to meet you, Mac.” Chance tried to ignore the man’s stare.

  Seriously, it was getting a little excessive. Did he have food in his teeth or what?

  “How are you sleeping?” Mac grabbed hold of Chance’s chin, yanked it to the side and then peered into his ear.

  “Uh . . . well, I haven’t been sleeping on a pillow top mattress exactly. The ground doesn’t help with good sleep.” Chance wrenched himself free of Mac’s grip and felt himself getting annoyed. “Why are you looking in my ears? I don’t have an ear infection.”

  Mac folded his hands together. “No ear infection. I am just having a little fun with you. You shouldn’t listen to anyone who looks in your ears to cure a stomachache. Don’t forget it.”

  Chance grew agitated and the voices in his head clamored for attention. He was ready to be done with it already. “Listen, it looks like you don’t get many visitors up here, and I didn’t come to roast marshmallows with you. Batukhan told me you’d be able to help me for real. Is that true?”