| CHALLENGE PART 12 _______________________________________________________________________________________ As night approached I felt the pull of my beast again. I plopped down on the bed, my brain at full capacity for the moment. Nathaniel got up and came over to me, leaning down, and licking my face over and over again until I was laughing and rolling with him on the bed. He backed up and then pounced on me rolling us to the other side of the bed and onto the floor. I rubbed both his cheeks with my hands and he purred loudly. Zane cleared his throat and I looked at him. “It’s time to go,” he said. I disentangled myself from Nathaniel, got up and headed for the door. “Let’s go then.” We all piled into Zane’s car and started driving out of town. Zane finally stopped somewhere out in the country, near an old barn. There were cars parked everywhere. “Where are we?” I asked “At the wolves’ lupanar,” Zane replied. “You should be able to feel the power of the place and the people when we get out of the car,” Jason said. He was right. When I got out I nearly choked on the power in the air. It was thick and warm even in the slight coolness of the night. I just wanted to wrap myself in that power, to pull it around me and snuggle in it. I decided to give into my urge. I willed the power to me, reached out to it in my mind’s eye and felt it fill me. I let my head fall back, feeling the wind flow across my face, and threw myself into the woods. I wanted to run, to feel more of the wind on my face and through my hair. I could feel the boys chasing after me, but I kept pushing myself faster and faster dodging trees and bushes. When I came to the clearing that was the source of the power I had been following, I stopped. There were people everywhere, some already in their wolf form. I spotter a couple of cats off to the side away from everyone else and saw Cherry standing with several other people I had yet to meet. I suddenly realized that everyone was staring at me, and none too nicely, like I was the uninvited guest at the party. I heard Richard’s voice shout to everyone that I was now part of the pard as the boys finally caught up to me, Nathaniel ramming his head into my hip when he reached me. We walked slowly across the clearing to where the other leopards were gathered; Jason left us half way there to join the wolves. Everyone eyed me with curiosity and suspicion. A few minutes later Anita emerged from the trees on the opposite side of the forest and went to stand with Richard. Cherry and the other leopards went to her and greeted her in the manner that Zane had described to me earlier. One in particular kept staring at me, and none to pleasantly, as she went to Anita and showed her loyalty. “Who’s that?” I whispered in Zane’s ear. “Elizabeth,” he replied. “I don’t think she likes me.” “She doesn’t really like anybody.” “That’s right,” Elizabeth said making us fully aware that she had been listening. “I don’t. Now honor your Nimir Ra, b*tch,” she commanded gesturing towards Anita. “No,” I said crossing my arms over my chest and standing my ground. There was a collective gasp across the clearing, and by the momentary look on Elizabeth’s face I had surprised her as well. I guess she had expected me to curl into a submissive ball at her feet and obey. She had another thing coming. “Not a good way to start things out, young one.” The last sounded like it was meant as the worst insult. I just glared at her. “Enough Elizabeth,” Anita said taking a few steps towards us. “Rachel shifted for the first time last night….” She began explaining. “A sign of weakness,” Elizabeth scoffed, interrupting Anita. Anita laughed at that, “Don’t you wish,” she muttered. “She caused Nathaniel to shift early.” “An easy enough feat,” Elizabeth spat out. I heard Nathaniel let out a soft cry beside me. I looked down to find him hanging his head low to the ground. This woman was really starting to infuriate me. I reached down and placed a hand under Nathaniel’s jaw and lifted his head so that he was looking me in the eyes. I shook my head “No”. His eyes instantly brightened and he rubbed his cheek along my arm. Anita continued. “She also shifted back without passing out. Now when was the last time you did that?” Elizabeth was silent and her gaze had drifted to the ground, and she mumbled something incoherent. “I can’t hear you.” Again Elizabeth mumbled. It was still garbled but it sounded suspiciously like “Never”. “I’m sorry, Elizabeth, I missed that, and I’m sure everyone else here missed it as well.” “NEVER, OK!” she shouted, her eyes once again on Anita. “I’ve never shifted back and not passed out – none of us have.” Her voice had gradually returned to a normal volume. “That’s right,” Anita stated matter-of-factly. “And what does that tell you?” “That she’s dominant,” Elizabeth whispered. “And….” “And she’s probably Alpha.” “And….” “And that means she would take your place because she’s lycanthrope and you aren’t.” “Good, now we’re all on the same page.” Anita turned to me then. “Any thoughts?” “Yeah, a million” I replied. She sighed, looking a bit impatient. “Well, there’s time enough for that later. I’m sure all you furry people are anxious to get on with the full moon festivities; we’ll discuss politics tomorrow. As it is, I’ve got a dead body waiting on me. Good night all.” She walked over to Richard and kissed him on the cheek and went back in the direction she had come. …….. After a fairly uneventful night of stalking the woods, learning the ropes, and giving Elizabeth a hard time every chance I got, I crashed from sheer exhaustion curled around Nathaniel’s unmoving body. I dreamt of the hunt, of running through the woods uninhibited, being at one with the forest. I dreamt of the look in Elizabeth’s eyes when I shifted back in front of her, and I’m sure I smiled in my sleep at the thought. _______________________________________________________________________________________ PART 13 INDEX |