Dark Dreams

Chapter Three

     "Listen to me, I can offer you what you need, but you must accept the gift" he said telepathically to her, hoping she wouldn't refuse him. "I am too tired to drink anything" she replied telepathically "but I feel almost free almost as if I am flying" she continued telepathically. The slurred words she used telepathically forced him to act quickly knowing that she might hate him for it, but knew the panther in her would take what was freely offered "listen to me Tamra, let the panther have free will" he said telepathically more for the panther than for Tamra but he knew she might respond by hiding from him. "Here me now, let the panther out, let her free to roam in your stead," he said again telepathically as he bit into his own wrist and held it out over her mouth, and pressing it tightly against her parted lips. He was hoping that it would coax the panther out far enough to force her compliance with to him.

     As the warmth of his blood slipped into her mouth Tamra slowly fought to swallow though she didn't want to, she knew it was the panther within herself fighting for the right to live. Finally, after several moment of struggling with the panther side of herself she allowed the panther its reign and accepted the blood with mild hesitation. "SSShhh young one, you will feel better very soon," he said telepathically knowing that it was his own foolishness to have taken so much blood from Tamra to start with. Once she thought she had enough Tamra began fighting to push him away from herself, her deep-sea blue gaze flying open "get away from me, how dare ye" she spoke harshly through their strong telepathic link. Very carefully she began to move away from him, her body feeling a bit heavy as she worked her arms and legs to crawl over to a new location. While he watched her with amusement written all over his face, "don't ye dare say a word to me" she attempted to say yet her voice faltered a couple of times.

    When the change did happen, it hurt so bad that she felt like she had been hit by a Mack truck going 30 miles an hour or more. As the panther took over completely Tamra felt a measure of peace even as she buried herself deeper and deeper in her panther form. Though the panther hadn't moved very far either from the pain that the changed had caused or because she was studying Phelan closely. All Tamra knew for certain was the panther she had become was curious above all else over who this other man was that had aided her. With the blood from his own body, and how he knew just what she needed. She shook her head slightly as the panther laid its body upon the ground and watched the man closely. Although she continually sniffed the air for any possible prey her gaze never left him, as she wanted to know just what he wanted.

     After several minutes of lying around the panther gathered up her strength and wandering off looking for her next meal. Though Tamra locked on to his mind and attempted to look at his intentions and how he knew of her. After several tries, she managed to locate the path back to him, and did her best to remain small and insignificant as she looked through his memories and personal thoughts. Of how he stayed at a distance and always watched her through every horrible thing that happened to her through the good times and the bad. Which made her even more leery of the man and she couldn't believe for a moment he had any good intentions,

         Several minutes of climbing through the underbrush, the sleek looking panther took to the highway of branches, in the overhead of thickly covered forest trees, the panther found a place to lay in wait for her tannish colored prey. Tamra was both hungry and puzzled by the night's events, but she never let the connection between them fade as she tried to puzzle out just what it was the man wanted from her. Slowly she had forgotten about the man as locked on to her next meal, a rather large bull, she stalked him across the open field, even though she had gone up into the canopy of trees and stayed as close to the open field. She watched and waited for the perfect moment to jump onto the bulls back and sink her teeth deep into the bull's thick strong neck. She was not certain if she would have the strength to kill that beast or not, but she was willing to give it a nasty try. When suddenly, a loud noise that sounded very much like gun shots rang out and the bull fell upon the ground its huge head hitting the ground with a nasty cracking sound.

     Tamra froze hidden within the branches, watching to see what was happening, uncertain of whether it was safe to make a run for it. Her panther sniffed the air once, twice, three times before turning around and silently slipping back into the denser forest before racing away from the open field. She kept to the highway of branches for what seemed like hours. Before she finally slipped down along a small trail hidden by overgrown brush and other flower plants, one she had never seen before. Then again, her family never took her up into the mountains while she was growing up. As she approached the small stream for a much-needed drink, she heard footsteps approaching her, turning slightly while slipping slowly back towards the overgrowth she watched what looked like a poacher walking up towards her with his gun drawn. Tamra froze, growling harshly as she jumped sideways the bullet just missing her as she saw the heavy-set man go down onto one knee before hitting the ground with a groan of pain. With her footing secured she cautiously approached the big man who laid on the ground, gently she nudged him with her muzzle to see if he was alive. Suddenly pain burst through her and she stumbled back nearly falling from the tree. Once more she went over to him and noticed he was now on his side.

     Once again using her muzzle she nudged him gently trying to get him to respond to her touch. When he gruntled in pain she discovered that he was starting to move a tad easier. Laying down next to him she lightly rubbed her head along the shoulder close to the wound that was near his lung. She continued to try to get him to respond to her, as she began to shape shift next to him a mistake that could cost her dearly and she knew it. However, with her she needed to know that he would be alright and that he would live, she was tired of all the death surrounding her which she just wanted it to stop. Halfway through the transformation she lost consciousness.

     Breathing deeply Tamra did her best to try and regain consciousness however the dream she had was so vivid and felt so real that she clung to it instead. Forcing Phelan to pick her up and carry her back to his cabin, to the sitting room with its plush, soft, high back couch. Laying her on the white denim couch his fingers trailed down along her cheek in a light caress. He knew there was a conversation that he had to have with her but was not ready for, he stood there watching her as a single tear slipped from the corner of her right eye. Knowing what she did for the hunter cost her dearly and she needed her rest just as much as she needed to hear what it was that she could do that would cost her, her own life. He waited in the dark patiently for her to open those almond shaped deep-blue sea eyes of hers.

      He stood facing the window, the curtains partially opened just enough that he could see out into the thick dark forest, with the full moon shining brightly. He listened to the sounds of nature with the bugs buzzing and the young birds chirping. He could hear Tamra's heart beating low and slow working a bit harder than it should and that worried him. With a sigh he made up his mind to wake her and have that conversation now rather than later and he knew deep down she would hate him for it. Walking over to the extra-long couch where he had laid her down, and gently lifting her up by the shoulders and head, he slipped under her head to sit on the white couch with her head resting against his lap. With a heavy sigh he began to telepathically call out to her in the hopes of bringing her out of her slumber.

     "Tamra, young one please return to the land of living, wake for me now" he called out telepathically with demand in his voice. "We need to talk this night, it's important that we speak this night" he said with a heavy sigh mixed with need in his voice. Her long dark lashes began to flutter but still she had not opened her eye "go away, leave me be" she said softly, her voice a mere thread of sound. She struggled to wake up as she really wanted to stay in her dream, where her parents and sister were still alive and waiting for her to return home from college. Yet that disembodied voice called out to her repeatedly Something about waking up and returning to the land of the living. She finally managed to fully open her eyes only to stare up into his amber colored eyes.

     She jumped up and spun around looking for the door that led outside not realizing they were in a tree house of his that he kept for his special guests. As she spotted the door that led outside, she took note on how heavy the wooden door really was and wondered if it was solid wood or if something heavier was hidden underneath it. Tamra managed to get outside and running along the thick branches of the highest tree her body felt that familiar pain as she gave herself over to the panther. She paused briefly and crouching down to gather information from her surrounding using her whiskers, nose, and all other senses to gage her surrounding with.

     Tamra remained crouched down in the arboreal of tree branches, her heart racing within the form of the deep-dark black panther, the rarest of her species. With her claws digging deep into the thickest branch that she crouched on, she heard him then telepathically calling out to her. "Young one, you need to come to me now, we must be away from this area" his tone brooked no argument as he turned away from her his form changing once more to his favorite animal, that of the large black wolf. She heard him then even when she hadn't sensed his presence first, she looked down to the ground to see him jumping up into the tree's a feat not typical for any known wolf breed but the then again, he wasn't your run of the mill wolf. She knew he was lethal and backed up to the edge of the arboreal highway, "you Sir will stay away from me, ye aren't what ye seem to be" she said telepathically to him all the while in her panther form, she growled knowing that she had to find a way to hide from him,

     He wasn't going to make it easy on her as he slowly advanced, his ears flat with a low hard growl filling the air. He knew he could scare her into leaping down, but he watched her every step just in case she backed up to far and fell. "Control your panther young one, do it now before there is tragedy even for you" he growled telepathically. He knew if he could get her to the ground, he could shoulder her into the hidden cave about half a mile away. Suddenly Tamra jumped into a neighboring tree one with much smaller limbs that could barely support her in her panther form. "Do not follow me, I do not know ye and I do not wish to either Sir so leave me in peace" she growled through their telepathic link. Knowing he wouldn't leave her alone even in the midst of the chaos that was starting up around her.

     "You will go with me and listen to everything I have to say" he said, in his human voice taking Tamra by surprise. She glanced down at him as she prepared to jump on the ground amongst a great deal of overgrown plants and loose vegetation. "I need to explain a lot to you and doing so out in the open would-be suicide" he grumbled. Regally lifting her head, the panther nodded slightly as she moved behind him and pushed him to indicate for him to take the lead that she would follow. Her gaze never left his as he led her to the cave, with its narrow entrance, the foliage growth nearly hiding it from view as the vines reached out to each other creating an arch surrounding the entrance.

     This was not a conversation he was looking forward to having but he knew it needed to be done. With each passing step he began regretting what he was going to do. All her knowledge about her parents and even her sister's death was going to be thrown out the window as the truth was told to her, about who, and what she was. About whom and what her mother was, granted it was only her mother and poor Tamra that was the ones who were so special. They walked in silence for roughly fifteen minutes before he turned to look at her, and with his hand gently pulling at the vines to reveal a large rock wall with a narrow slit in it. He sighed slightly as the crevice widen just enough for his large frame to slip through easily. Tamra watched him though she didn't move, she didn't waver, she just stood there, eyes glued to his waiting on him to walk into the passageway ahead of her. "Young one please, we must get inside so we can talk" spoke to her telepathically hoping she hadn't retreated to far within the panther, he needed her to understand it was far safer inside where they wouldn't be heard or seen for this conversation to take place.

     As they stepped into the long corridor, she noticed Phelan let things slip back into place while they walked down the long corridor leaving the entrance to slowly narrow down to its original size once more. She shivered slightly feeling as if she was somehow trapped, but Tamra knew she could easily get out in her human form because she was quite slender. "Young one please don't fear me just relax and enjoy my home”. He moved suddenly, rapidly and sat in his favorite chair, watching her closely waiting for her to shift back to her human form. Using all of her senses while prowling around the cave, she finally wandered over and sat nearest the tunnel that led back out into the light of day.

     With a heavy sigh, a light shiver followed by Tamra shaking her head, she finally shifted back into her human form. Her clothing settling about her slender form, once more she shivered as if cold but hidden deep within an unease settled within her body. "What is it you wish to talk about?" she asked softly. While she watched him with an unblinking set of baby blue eyes, all the while waiting for him to answer her softly asked question. Without missing a beat Tamra carefully rocked back onto her heals, with her hands sitting gently on her upper thighs, fingers resting lightly against the outside of the jeans. She began to ponder if he would actually answer the question when his deep voice rang through the cave just as gentle as her had been, "young one, what do you know about your lineage?" he asked her. All the while he watched her just as closely as she was watching him.

     Tamra was pondering the question over in her mind all the while she sat as still as a statue, unsure of how to answer the question put to her by Phelan, "Well actually not very much, I knew my mother was very special amongst out clan. I just wasn't so certain I understood why she was considered so special" she began. "I knew that my mother was a healer and that we had to leave our small village back in Ireland when I was a mere babe of six months" she continued slowly still not certain of how much she should be telling him, Gripping the side of her jeans slowly and tightly her voice dropped a mere thread of sound "she could heal a broken bone by her touch, and she could even aid in the healing process from a harsh cold such as the flu" she told him, Tilting her head to the right her gaze still locked to his, she waited to see if there was any kind of a reaction from him learning about her mother’s abilities. "Well now my young friend, seems I did find you in the nick of time" Phelan said, though he knew she needed the full story just not all at once. "I can see by the way that you shifted shape that either, you of knew that your mother could do the same. Or that she had told you about the possibilities of shape shifting within your lineage" he said his voice growing tender with each word.

     "Actually, I discovered it by accident a few months back, granted in the beginning it did hurt like hell, however the more I shift the less it hurts" Tamra said, rather proud of herself for discovering the hidden truth about her own lineage. Slowly she straightened herself upright and began to relax just a bit hoping that her panther would indeed alert her to any danger should there be any from Phelan,

  Several minutes of climbing through the underbrush, the sleek looking panther took to the highway of branches, in the overhead of thickly covered forest trees, the panther found a place to lay in wait for her tannish colored prey. Tamra was both hungry and puzzled by the night's events, but she never let the connection between them fade as she tried to puzzle out just what it was the man wanted from her. Slowly she had forgotten about the man as locked on to her next meal, a rather large bull, she stalked him across the open field, even though she had gone up into the canopy of trees and stayed as close to the open field. She watched and waited for the perfect moment to jump onto the bulls back and sink her teeth deep into the bull's thick strong neck. She was not certain if she would have the strength to kill that beast or not, but she was willing to give it a nasty try. When suddenly, a loud noise that sounded very much like gun shots rang out and the bull fell upon the ground its huge head hitting the ground with a nasty cracking sound.

     Tamra froze hidden within the branches, watching to see what was happening, uncertain of whether it was safe to make a run for it. Her panther sniffed the air once, twice, three times before turning around and silently slipping back into the denser forest before racing away from the open field. She kept to the highway of branches for what seemed like hours. Before she finally slipped down along a small trail hidden by overgrown brush and other flower plants, one she had never seen before. Then again, her family never took her up into the mountains while she was growing up. As she approached the small stream for a much-needed drink, she heard footsteps approaching her, turning slightly while slipping slowly back towards the over growth she watched what looked like a poacher walking up towards her with his gun drawn. Tamra froze, growling harshly as she jumped sideways the bullet just missing her as she saw the heavy-set man go down onto one knee before hitting the ground with a groan of pain. With her footing secured she cautiously approached the big man who laid on the ground, gently she nudged him with her muzzle to see if he was alive. Suddenly pain burst through her and she stumbled back nearly falling from the tree. Once more she went over to him and noticed he was now on his side.

     Once again using her muzzle she nudged him gently trying to get him to respond to her touch. When he gruntled in pain she discovered that he was starting to move a tad easier. Laying down next to him she lightly rubbed her head along the shoulder close to the wound that was near his lung. She continued to try to get him to respond to her, as she began to shape shift next to him a mistake that could cost her dearly and she knew it. However, with her she needed to know that he would be alright and that he would live, she was tired of all the death surrounding her which she just wanted it to stop. Halfway through the transformation she lost consciousness.

     Breathing deeply Tamra did her best to try and regain consciousness however the dream she had was so vivid and felt so real that she clung to it instead. Forcing Phelan to pick her up and carry her back to his cabin, to the sitting room with its plush, soft, high back couch. Laying her on the white denim couch his fingers trailed down along her cheek in a light caress. He knew there was a conversation that he had to have with her but was not ready for, he stood there watching her as a single tear slipped from the corner of her right eye. Knowing what she did for the hunter cost her dearly and she needed her rest just as much as she needed to hear what it was that she could do that would cost her, her own life. He waited in the dark patiently for her to open those almond shaped deep-blue sea eyes of hers.

      He stood facing the window, the curtains partially opened just enough that he could see out into the thick dark forest, with the full moon shining brightly. He listened to the sounds of nature with the bugs buzzing and the young birds chirping. He could hear Tamra's heart beating low and slow working a bit harder than it should and that worried him. With a sigh he made up his mind to wake her and have that conversation now rather than later and he knew deep down she would hate him for it. Walking over to the extra-long couch where he had laid her down, and gently lifting her up by the shoulders and head, he slipped under her head to sit on the white couch with her head resting against his lap. With a heavy sigh he began to telepathically call out to her in the hopes of bringing her out of her slumber.

     "Tamra, young one please return to the land of living, wake for me now" he called out telepathically with demand in his voice. "We need to talk this night, it's important that we speak this night" he said with a heavy sigh mixed with need in his voice. Her long dark lashes began to flutter but still she had not opened her eye "go away, leave me be" she said softly, her voice a mere thread of sound. She struggled to wake up as she really wanted to stay in her dream, where her parents and sister were still alive and waiting for her to return home from college. Yet that disembodied voice called out to her repeatedly Something about waking up and returning to the land of the living. She finally managed to fully open her eyes only to stare up into his amber colored eyes.

     She jumped up and spun around looking for the door that led outside not realizing they were in a tree house of his that he kept for his special guests. As she spotted the door that led outside, she took note on how heavy the wooden door really was and wondered if it was solid wood or if something heavier was hidden underneath it. Tamra managed to get outside and running along the thick branches of the highest tree her body felt that familiar pain as she gave herself over to the panther. She paused briefly and crouching down to gather information from her surrounding using her whiskers, nose, and all other senses to gage her surrounding with.

     Tamra remain crouched down in the arboreal of tree branches, her heart racing within the form of the deep-dark black panther, the rarest of her species. With her claws digging deep into the thickest branch that she crouched on, she heard him then telepathically calling out to her. "Young one, you need to come to me now, we must be away from this area" his tone brooked no argument as he turned away from her his form changing once more to his favorite animal, that of the large black wolf. She heard him then even when she hadn't sensed his presence first, she looked down to the ground to see him jumping up into the tree's a feet not typical for any known wolf breed but the then again he wasn't your run of the mill wolf. She knew he was lethal and backed up to the edge of the arboreal highway, "you Sir will stay away from me, ye aren't what ye seem to be" she said telepathically to him all the while in her panther form, she growled knowing that she had to find away to hide from him,

     He wasn't going to make it easy on her as he slowly advanced, his ears flat with a low hard growl filling the air. He knew he could scare her into leaping down, but he watched her every step just incase she backed up to far and fell. "Control your panther young one, do it now before there is tragedy even for you" he growled telepathically. He knew if he could get her to the ground, he could shoulder her into the hidden cave about half a mile away. Suddenly Tamra jumped into a neighboring tree one with much smaller limbs that could barely support her in her panther form. "Do not follow me, I do not know ye and I do not with to either Sir so leave me in peace" she growled through their telepathic link. Knowing he wouldn't leave her alone even in the midst of the chaos that was starting up around her.

     "You will go with me and listen to everything I have to say" he said, in his human voice taking Tamra by surprise. She glanced down at him as she prepared to jump on the ground amongst a great deal of overgrown plants and loose vegetation. "I need to explain a lot to you and doing so out in the open would be suicide" he grumbled. Regally lifting her head, the panther nodded slightly as she moved behind him and pushed him to indicate for him to take the lead that she would follow. Her gaze never left his as he led her to the cave, with its narrow entrance, the foliage growth nearly hiding it from view as the vines reached out to each other creating an arch surrounding the entrance.

     This was not a conversation he was looking forward to having but he knew it needed to be done. With each passing step he began regretting what he was going to do. All her knowledge about her parents and even her sister's death was going to be thrown out the window as the truth was told to her, about who, and what she was. About whom and what her mother was, granted it was only her mother and poor Tamra that was the ones who were so special. They walked in silence for roughly fifteen minutes before he turned to look at her, and with his hand gently pulling at the vines to reveal a large rock wall with a narrow slit in it. He sighed slightly as the crevice widen just enough for his large frame to slip through easily. Tamra watched him though she didn't move, she didn't waver, she just stood there, eyes glued to his waiting on him to walk into the passageway ahead of her. "Young one please, we must get inside so we can talk" spoke to her telepathically hoping she hadn't retreated to far within the panther, he needed her to understand it was far safer inside where they wouldn't be heard or seen for this conversation to take place.