Mentor

The upright beast Changed and I found myself under the paw and smelling the breath of the biggest male I had ever seen.

"Lesson one kit, don't attack without knowing what you attack".

He stepped back and I took a ragged breath. The male Changed again and there stood the upright beast. "Welcome to the Bastet kit. Call me Teacher for now, and later I will think of something else. Let's go, the Ajaba hate to see another come into being so they should be here soon."

With that he turned and walked off. "Follow and live, stay and die." echoed in my head. Since there was nothing here but bad memories and a herd beast leg I rose and followed on shaky legs.

We walked this way, he leading and me stumbling along, for I don't know how long. There was a difference to the plains now, as if I were a stranger and it was waiting to pounce. Sounds of the others fighting over the leg came to me softly as Teacher spoke in my head. I was Bastet and he was Bastet and there was a war and we were fighting against corruption and the Ajaba were like us but different and long-time enemies. Round and round it went, over and back and suddenly he stopped.

"Here they come kit, consider this your first big test. Shift, just think of the form you want, and concentrate."

I saw what he meant in my head and watching him helped as he Changed into the giant lion of before. Faintly I heard the calls of the others, but I could not see them. "No, not the others, Ajaba. Change now or die like your mother!"

Mother? Mother?! MOTHER!! I shifted as the Ajaba came through...something. They were like us, like the others, but I saw my death in their many eyes.

We roared and leapt and once again I felt the redness falling on me, dizzying and glorious. This time I remembered, this time I knew what I did and this time I had a companion. Pain flared and was forgotten as blood flowed, calls and roars mingled and clashed. Whirl and leap, duck and slash, bite and tear, nonstop motion on both sides, some scoring others swishing past eyes, legs, necks.

They were many, and their jaws opened deep wounds but we were larger, stronger and faster. When the screams died and the blood slowed to a trickle, there was just one Ajaba, Teacher and me. We advanced on her and she went...somewhere.

"Good job kit, now let's go before she comes back."

With that he turned and ran off towards the treeline, still talking in my head, "and just wait until you see the ones that don't stay dead"