The Twisted Path

Chapter 4- Shifting

Ryla walked with Kermit for long enough down the road that she did not feel anyone from her village would bother them, when she felt a sensation that she had never felt before. She cried out as she felt pain bristle down her spine. Kendall stopped, his normally jovial expression serious. “I will give you some privacy for your shift.” He said solemnly as he threw her a beautiful green dress for a change of clothes. In werewolf culture many of the women wore a green dress on the day of their first shift to show their connection to nature. He nodded and walked a little ways away from her into the grass until she couldn’t see him. She bent over and retched, before curling into a ball on the ground and shaking. She got drunk once with Kermit on the day after he shifted, it felt a little like this the next morning, except this was worse and there was no Kermit nearby to comfort her and bring her Powerade and hold her hair while she threw up. After a seeming eternity of pain she saw hair thickening on her body over the goosebumps that had formed. She smiled a little. Her wolf hair was a reddish dark brown like her father’s, and was that..? She growled a bit but even she had to appreciate the cuteness of her tawny grey paws, as her mother’s wolf is a tawny grey. It felt like every bone was snapping, bending, and changing length. Finally the pain stopped and everything around her looked clearer, even though it was night. Dread and pain was replaced by joy and disbelief. Sure Ryla had been a werewolf her whole life but it didn’t sink in until just now why it was such a wonderful thing. She panted like a happy puppy as she took her first few steps. When she got used to what this felt like and wanted to run more than anything she had ever wanted before, she smelled something beautiful. It smelled like caramel apples and fireplaces. Odd, she didn’t notice a campfire anywhere near her, she thought with a bit of fear. Was her first shift near humans? And would they see her as dangerous? She heard footsteps. She turned around quickly, growling. She saw.. Kermit? He had followed her? In his wolf form? Why did he smell so wonderful? Kermit shifted back into his human form, as he got closer to her. She could finally see his happy Gray eyes and auburn hair up close. She could hear his smile in his words. “I have been waiting so long to tell you that you are my mate Ryla, did ya have to jump town first?”

Mate? Kermit is my mate? Ryla’s thoughts came on a bit blurry. Kermit reached out a hand and steadied her. “The first time is always hard” he said gently, his hand feeling soft but firm at the same time. “Just go with how you feel, your legs are closer to the ground. If you try to walk how you always do it will be awkward. Just trust your instinct” when Ryla was steady Kermit removed his hand, saying “Race you to that tree” before he shifted back and ran to a tree closest by them. Ryla felt her wolf self chasing him like a dog chases a car as she felt herself trying to beat him to the tree. It was like being a child with him again, but somehow even more pure and full of energy and joy. They ended up in a tangle cuddled up and curled together in their wolf forms. Kermit as a mate. Truly the best birthday present she had ever had. She still felt overjoyed when they woke up the next morning beside each other as humans, Ryla being too nervous to come out of the grass naked, and Kermit fetched her green dress Kendall had left in the field for her and brought it to her to change. He smirked as he threw the dress to her in the grass. “As sexy as you are and as much as I would love to see you I will give you time” his laugh sounding a little like a bark. She came out of the grass in her dress, his low whistle greeting her. “Ryla you have outdone yourself.” She did a little curtesy for him and twirled. “Well of course the dress is just for you, since SOMEONE did not tell me I was their mate I could plan out everything so perfectly.” He frowned a little. “Seriously Kermit why didn’t you tell me?” He looked baffled back at her. “Since we are talking about telling each other things, why didn’t you tell me you were leaving town?” He stated while he crossed his arms.

Ryla shook her head slowly, eyebrows raised, trying to think of how she could possibly explain the secrets of war she had discovered when Kendall walked out of the grass next to them. “I see your friend followed us, I thought you didn’t tell anyone we were leaving” Kermit looked at Kendall with hurt in his eyes. “Ryla, who is he?”