Storm

Van

We get off of the main highway about 7 hours later, after a few stops for gas and some much-needed bathroom breaks. Its dark, Dad says we have one more stop before we’ll get there. The dirt roads continue for about another two hours, so we’ll need gas. I don’t know how my father drives this so often, my legs are cramping, I just want to walk around.

“Stretch your legs if you need, this last stretch can be hard for your body. Once we reach the end of the dirt road we’ll have to walk about a mile. It’s easier in your wolf form but we can walk it on foot this one time.” My dad explains. Usually, I wouldn’t be thrilled about the one-mile hike in the woods in the dark, but I was so excited to be able to walk. I grab a flavored water, needing some hydration, and a stick of jerky, shifters need lots of protein, most of our diet is meat.

I smell something in the air, caramel and oranges, a strange combination but it just works so well together. I can’t figure out where its coming from. It’s faint but smells so familiar. I look around and nobody is there, it’s probably just the lack of sleep getting to me. I decide for the next hour that I’ll try and get a power nap in.

“Look in the trees, do you see them?” Dad asks.

“See what?” I look out of the car window looking for something, as my eyes adjust, I see them. I can lightly see the glow of eyes in the woods, probably about 6 pairs. I recognize one set as a wolf, the others I can’t tell but I know they’re shifters as well. “Do they know who we are?” I ask dad.

“They knew I was coming and bringing you, they’re all very excited to meet you, I don’t usually get quite the welcoming party.” Dad chuckles.

The eyes continue with us up the dirt path, occasionally popping in and out of the woods, sometimes a new one joins and then leaves. We finally pull off into a cave. At least I thought it was a cave. It seems to be more like a parking garage meant to look concealed. After about twenty feet of darkness and stone a parking lot is illuminated by bright lights. Once we park, I get out and stretch my legs. I hear footsteps and smell a familiar smell. This time instead of oranges and caramel, it smells like vanilla. It’s Van, I haven’t seen him in forever, but I run blindly towards the smell. He smells like dad; he smells like home. As I reach my brother in his human form, I’m greeted by his hug, he lifts me off the ground and spins me around. I have never been so excited to see my annoying older brother.

“It’s been too long Stormy” he says quietly, his voice full of emotion and love “you’re a grownup now. Well, figuratively, you’re still as short as when I left.”

I’m 5 foot 2. Most shifters were at least 6 feet tall; I was the odd one out in any family picture. My brother loved to make fun of me for it, as if I could do anything about it. Regardless, I missed my brother more than anything. I take a step back, taking in my brother, the last time I saw him was six years ago. He left for training at 18, we have kept in touch, he sends me letters as often as possible, but the mail is only picked up in Rosmarus once in a blue moon. He’s older, he looks the same as when he left but more muscular, wiser almost, with the same crooked smirk he’s always had. He has a large tattoo on his left arm, it’s a snake, it’s eyes almost unsettlingly realistic. “You got that, but you cried for two hours after getting a flu shot.” I say, taunting him. I heard a snarl from behind him, I smelled someone I had never met- something I had never seen. She was tall and slender, with sleek red hair and almond eyes, beautiful skin that resembled the moonlight. I could tell she was a shifter, perhaps a cat?

“Fox” my brother said reading my mind “she’s a fox shifter, and she’s my chosen.”

“Nice to meet you Storm, I’ve heard much about you, my name is Anari.” She introduces herself, her voice is soft, she is quiet, but I can tell she’s not someone to be messed with. She also has a snake tattoo around her left arm.

“Nice to meet you Anari, I guess you’re my sister now!” I’m excited, I always wanted a sister, but Dad and Lila wanted to wait to have more children. Both Fae and shifters can have children until much later in life, they could wait another hundred years and then decide to have children and it would be completely normal. I wonder if they will have any.

“Nice to see you Darius, I hope your drive was smooth.” She says to my dad, I cannot believe he knew Van had found his chosen and didn’t say anything to me.

“It went well, Anari, thank you, how have things been here? Have you been keeping this one in line?” My dad punches Van on the shoulder lightly.

“He’s as he always is.” Anari says with an eye roll. At least she knows my brother is a royal pain and she’s okay with it. She seems patient, he’s always needed someone to keep him in line.

“Well, what are we waiting for, lets get going.” Van says, already heading out of the cave.

We follow behind him, Anari catching up to him and grabbing his hand, she was the calm to his wild, I’m happy for him. I can’t help but wonder who my Chosen will be. Will he be a fox shifter? I hope not, they seem far too serious for me.