by Lee Morgan
Mark smiled and his pupils began glowing a pure white.
They all heard bones snapping inside his body as his physical shape altered. He became taller and black fur began to grow all over. His face started changing into a muzzle and his teeth sharpened. His ears tapered into points. Then he dropped on all fours just as his wings began growing from his back. And he kept his fur loose. Soon he stood in his completed Fwen form. His former round pupils became slits after his eyes stopped glowing.
He sent his friend a wolfish grin and spoke in his deep animalistic voice. “I’m ready, Connor.”
“Honey, before you go, wait just a moment.” His head turned as his mate spoke.
Kara’s eyes began to glow too. They all watched as she flipped her wrist back and a bone in her arm began cracking and breaking. As the sounds continued, her wrist skin began moving unnaturally and then turned white as it stretched. Soon a pure white bone jutted through the skin and continued growing. After the bone grew in a perfect cylinder for six inches, it began flattening. For the next two and a half feet her bone had turned into a double-edged white bone sword. Once the flattened sword narrowed into a sharpened tip, Kara grabbed the handle and broke the bone sword from her body. Her skin then immediately healed and not a single drop of blood could be seen.
She walked up and held the handle towards her mate. “Honey, I know we have our claws and teeth, but take this just incase.”
“I can handle that compromise.” He pushed himself on his back legs and reached for the sword that his mate made for him of her very flesh. She handed it over and he slid it through a hidden leather string at his waistline. He tied the hilt to his hip and then smiled down at his mate. “Thank you, Kara. We’ll be home as quickly as we can.”
“Good, and I’ll keep an eye on everyone here.” She jumped gracefully and kissed Mark on the side of his muzzle before her weight leveled the ground beneath her feet. “I love you.”
“And I love you.”
Sarah then stood before Connor. “Come home safely.”
“I will. Now give me a good luck kiss.” She grinned weakly and kissed him.
Soon Mark gained a short running start before flapping his wings and flying above the treetops. Connor jumped right behind him as he too flew. They took one last look at the ground to see everyone waving goodbye.
Hang on, Sorono. I’m coming. Then his best friend and he flew south.
Sarah’s eyes were on the verge of tears as her heart begun to break, until someone grabbed her hand gently. She looked to the left after tearing her eyes away from the empty sky. It was Kara who held her hand. Her pure silver eyes were calm and a little resentful. Sarah’s voice felt defeated since her mate left her behind. “What is it, Kara?”
Her voice remained calm and sure. “From now on I’ll be sticking close to you.”
“Why?”
Her silver eyes seemed to bore into her sister-in-laws. “Because unlike you, I cannot feel where my mate is at all times. I can only track him by his scent. He won’t leave Brother’s side no matter the situation. Since you are bonded and are linked to my big brother, you are the only link to my mate. You will tell me when something feels wrong, when it happens. Until they come back you are going to have to put up with me.”
Veronica knelt in front of them and looked just as sure as her sister-in-law. “Kara will not be the only one to be staying all the time. I too cannot feel where my mate is located. Tell me if something changes. I cannot bare it if there isn’t some form of connection to my mate.
Kara then released her grasp on Sarah’s hand to swung her arm around her shoulders. Her tone became annoyingly chipper. “Besides, your worrying isn’t necessary. Brother isn’t as reckless as Sorono.”
Veronica turned her head and she started growling at Kara.
Kara became un-phased from Veronica’s aggression. “Oh please, give the growl a break! I know just as well as you do that he was being an typical idiot. You wanted to be by his side when he searched, but like every male on the planet, their pride thinks they need to always protect us. That’s why he’s in danger and you can’t feel him, right?” Veronica’s growl ceased to be replaced with large, mystified eyes. “So you see, since he went alone and didn’t heed your advice, he is in the position he placed all upon himself. Brother on the other hand made a compromise, since my mate is tagging along with him. My brother is strong and smart, but my mate is highly experienced and will give sound advice when the time comes. Trust me, your mate is in good hands and will be back before you know it.”
Everyone grew silent for a few minutes after Kara’s sound conviction.
“Kara, do you think that my father will be alright?” Shannon asked while walking towards them on her hind legs. Her golden eyes were wet and hopeful.
Kara removed her arm from around Sarah’s shoulder and sat on her heels to look the young keeper in the eye. “If no one in the world can do it, my mate and your uncle can. By the way, you and your mom need to take a bath, badly. You reek. Sarah and I will be right back. We’ll go to my house and get some fresh towels for you to dry yourselves off. Use the stream, but I’ll warn you it is a little chilly.”
Before anything else could be said, Kara grabbed Sarah’s hand again and led her to the forest. She smiled at her positive attitude. It helped ease her own worry, if only slightly.
She only released her hold when they started running together through the thick forest. Her steps were heavy because she weighed well over three hundred pounds even though she only looked one hundred and ten, dripping wet. Kara’s long sandy blond hair billowed behind her as they ran like no human alive ever could. Soon they reached her new house and saw that Jenny, David and Rhoda were sitting on the patio bench. They were talking to the children, but David had exchanged Pearl to Jenny’s arms so his could be free. Kara went inside without speaking, leaving Sarah to explain. They were just as worried as her.
Pearl cried for the first time while also trying to be brave for her daddy. She didn’t like that he was going so very far away from her. Darrel went mentally silent and Sarah read his mind to see him doing his best to hold it all together and not cry like his sister. He was trying to be strong for Sarah and for his father too.
Abandon and Rescue
Mark tapped his furry temple as they were flying side by side. His massive wings were making a constant beat as he flew at a reasonably fast pace. Connor entered his mind and asked “What’s on your mind, Bud?”
His silver eyes locked on sharp hazel. “First, I need to gain altitude so we can go faster and use less effort.” Connor nodded.
He beat his wings for another twenty minutes until they reached the optimum altitude for flying and left Minnesota’s boarders. They soared far above the clouds while not going too high so that the oxygen would be too thin to breathe. The surface of the ground made everything seem too small to be real, but it remained the same, only perception changed. Luckily there weren’t any airplanes nearby so they headed due south without interruption or being spotted.
“Alright Connor,” Mark started mentally speaking while Connor was still telepathically linked inside his mind. “since it is difficult to hear with all the wind passing our ears, we’ll need to speak like this.”
“That is understandable. Would you also like for me to make a wedge made of Pressure so that the wind will not be such a burden and it will aid our speed?”
“Go ahead.”
The moment the power released, the wedge did what it was made for. Their flight speed increased dramatically and the chill was knocked off. He smiled and his wings leveled out because he began flying on an updraft. Once everything stabilized Connor asked “You’re chewing on a question. Tell me what’s on your mind.”
Mark’s catlike silver eyes glanced at him while his muzzle pointed south. “It’s not really a question, but more like an idea that came up. You see, I have seen how fast, strong and how your uncanny senses alert you to any form of danger. And because you and Sorono have
the same abilities, I find it hard to imagine how he could have been hurt or something. And I don’t see him doing all this and worrying Veronica as a joke or test. His size alone should allow him to deal with any situation and his power should be stronger than anyone else’s. I cannot see how someone could do anything to him without him knowing about it first.”
“Mark, I believe he was captured.” Mark’s bulky head looked at him strangely while his pointed ears slowly fluttered in the reduced wind. “Think about it. Somehow he is weak, but still alive. He is being treated exactly like someone who has been arrested and sent to an immortals prison. They are keeping him weak so that he cannot escape of his own free will. Somehow they are also using something that even his raw physical strength cannot break and there is only one thing on the planet with that level of density, Dark Steel. Besides that, he was undoubtedly ambushed. Remember on April Fools when Kara caked me in that green slime. Well I believe that was how Sorono was ambushed unaware.
“You see, Kara has finally found a way to use my instincts to her advantage. She sat up a double trap. When I triggered the first one and avoided it my instinct was still warning me, but my mind was only focused on the first bucket, the second one got me. That being said, Sorono was ambushed and set up by a double trap at the very least and then they somehow found a way to make him go unconscious before he got himself out of the situation.
“Most likely they transferred him to a secure location, away from the extraction point and also set up several false trails to deter any who would try to follow after him.”
“Well it makes perfect sense when you put it like that.” His best friend admitted after flapping his wings once. “We had better be prepared for any eventuality then. Since you said they ambushed Sorono, I’m guessing that you believe that there is more than one suspect besides Ranvan.” Connor’s mental voice went silent. “I thought so. Let’s be cautious then, Buddy.”
“Since we’ve got each other’s back, they should be the ones prepared.”
Mark grinned and streamlined his body and they redoubled their speed without exerting too much effort. Having a wingman eased many burdens, even if Mark thought he didn’t need the help. Connor sighed in relief, knowing he’d have his best friend on this arduous task, even with the danger it would entail.
They passed state after state and saw the habitats in nature change the further south they traveled. After two and a half hours they crossed the border between the United States and Mexico. Then Mark and Connor started heading southwest and not long after, spotted the Pacific Ocean. They then followed the reflecting blue water that touched the South American landmass.
Then they passed over a city hit by the waves.
The destruction was difficult to describe. It wasn’t only the cities either. Many thousands and thousands of acres were destroyed along the coast. In many places the ocean’s water penetrated about two miles or more inland. The cities were all pretty much obliterated and there were many makeshift shelters. In most places, Mark and Connor saw rebuilding projects all over the city and even the costal villages were already underway to being rebuilt. Nonetheless, many tarps and tents scattered over many open areas from those who lost everything. Only after a little over two months from the watery destruction, people were showing their strength to overcome adversity. Over time the destruction and the loss of life will only become a bitter memory for those who had survived.
Mark and Connor were both speechless as they passed the destruction. They could see the anger in each other after seeing just what his brother was capable of.
An hour later it had only just begun to get dark when Mark asked “By the way, how are we supposed to find a clue as to the whereabouts of Sorono? South America is quite a large place and my sense of smell can only do so much.”
Connor flashed a smile at him. “We are going to find him the same way he can find me. It took me awhile to figure out what Sorono’s words meant last year. I asked him how I could find him if there was a need. He said that I would figure it out, and like most things in life, it is simple in hindsight. I can use my abilities to see the aura of any living thing. Every creature and plant has its own color that is slightly different from anything else. It is the same way with you. Your aura is black whereas Kara’s is a blondish brown. Even my in-laws have separate colors. Jillian’s is bluish and Jack is a reddish orange. Only Harmonizers share the exact same color with their mate.
“Let’s go down into the forest and relax until nightfall. When it’s dark or at nighttime, auras appear easier to see. The contrasting colors are more defined. Even from a distance it will look like a beacon in the middle of the darkest night.”
“Sounds good. I’ll also try to find us a place that has some fruit trees.”
They both went into a nose dive and soon saw the ground becoming clearer. They dove through dark rainclouds and pulled up a few hundred feet from the ground. Mark’s nose went to work and he soon found a hidden and isolated spot in the forest that was layered in a grove of banana trees and their fruits were perfectly ripe. They then finally landed after they each grabbed an arm full. Mark didn’t transform as they sat together and ate the fruity meal while the sky darkened.
While they waited, they didn’t speak because off all the amazing sounds and sights the forest had to offer. The forest is beautiful despite the lingering heat and humidity. Connor found a cacao tree and ate a few pods. He even stuffed two seeds in his pocket after drawing out any moisture that laid within. The kids would love to see what raw chocolate tastes like before being refined. His grin began growing more defined at the anticipation for their faces to cringe from the taste.
Thanks to Mark’s sense of smell he guessed that it has been months since any humans have even been remotely close to this area. Judging from the residual footprints and animal tracks he was correct.
Mark even played a bit with the bone sword that his mate had given him. He remained an adept swordsman over the centuries, even in his Fwen form. It took some time, but he found a way to equip the sword in such a way that he could fight while also being on all fours. He held it in his left hand, with the blade pointing away from his thumb, just like Connor taught Sarah how to use her daggers in a fight. Mark could move with barely a noticeable change to his gait while on all fours and holding his weapon.
“Alright, I think it is dark enough.” Mark said in his animalistic voice. He stood up and tethered the sword to his hip again.
Connor looked up past the tree canopy and saw the twinkling stars of the clear night sky greeting them. “Your right, but I need to tell you now that where I’m going you cannot follow.”
Mark stopped cold and his silver slit pupils seemed to darken. “What do you mean that I can’t follow you? We are in this rescue mission together.”
Connor stood up and placed a calming hand on his shoulder. “Listen, Bud, you said it before, South America is a big place. What I need to do is go into a higher altitude and be able to see more landmass. That means the air will be too thin for you to breathe. I’ll be going higher than even I’ve ever attempted.”
“If I cannot breathe at such a height, how can you be expected to?”
“Remember the Pressure shield I put in front of us on our journey here?” His large head nodded curtly and his ears twitched. “I had to intentionally leave a few holes or small gaps in it so your wings could have enough wind to achieve lift. Without them you’d plummet like a bowling ball no matter how wide you grew your wings. What I’m going to do is seal of every gap with solidified Pressure and contain as much oxygen in a Pressure shield as I can, and keep it together. We can fly together for a short time, but once I go up and find something, I’ll fly back and let you know.”
Mark’s large jaw muscles were clenched as he thought through this plan. Once he made up his mind he stated “Alright, but if you try to ditch me and go searching off by yourself, I’ll find the nearest phone and call home and get everyone that’s strong enough to come find you and haul you
back. That means Sarah will be right on your heels in an instant. We both know she won’t even need to be asked again.”
“Point taken.” Good grief, I didn’t even consider leaving.
Mark knew he wouldn’t be left behind, but he still had to deliver that simple warning. He then smiled and found a break in the trees. He used that opening to unfurl his wings and take to the sky. Connor followed right behind.
As they flew higher, the cooler air felt great. As they continued gaining altitude he could still feel that Sarah remained upset, but her emotions were dulled. It was about this time that Pearl and Darrel were getting a telepathic lecture. Connor wanted to go back home and be close to his love and children, but someone’s life is in danger. His importance is more pressing than personal feelings.
Once they reached the midway point, he slowed to a stop. Mark understood this and banked around to hover in front of him. “I’ll be back soon, Bud.”
Since there was plenty of air around him, it became his only lifeline.
In the quiet of his mind there was a mental picture of his body and around the body waited the oxygen that would sustain his life. He imagined a perfect spherical bubble surrounding himself. The bubble had to be escape proof so that nothing could enter or exit the sphere. Its size had to remain fixed or else it would rupture. Nothing could pass through this defense.
Once everything was instantly mapped out mentally, the power released. Connor instinctively used Pressure to trap everything surrounding him in a fifteen foot radius, in every conceivable direction.
He knew it worked because there were no longer any sounds. There was no wind blowing around his body nor were there any sounds from Mark’s beating wings. It seemed like the bubble of Pressure was so powerful that not even sound could pass through it. The silence became almost unbearable. Connor didn’t like the feeling that one of his senses were completely severed. I’d better do this quick.