Mutant 13

The Girl

"Someone has reported a weird thing in the woods near town." A man with jet black hair sat looking out the window. As he was talking his eyes clouded over as if he was in a trance. "I've heard multiple people have spotted the same thing. Sam, should we investigate?" A girl with medium-length red hair pulled back into a ponytail was searching on a computer. "I think we should. Did you hear if they knew anything about it? Like if it was just an animal?" The guy was studying the town out the window as people walked down the road. "Hmm. Some say it is a wolf but they aren't sure what they saw. They say it's a very large midnight blue wolf... which isn't possible. We only have small grey wolves around here.." "Well Sin, what do you think we should do?" Sam looked up to the man and her sighed. "I don't have any records for a mutant with powers to shift into animals.. so I think we should go excepting it to be an animal." Sam nodded. "I agree... Let's go!"

At the beginning of a vast tree line, Sam and Sin look around. They had traps, radar trackers and other needed items to look for an injured animal. "Ready Sin?" Sin nodded and they began their long trek into the woods on the outskirts of town. They never realized the creature lurking in the shadows, stalking them. The tracker pinged as a small fox ran pass. "That's Sly. He was tagged by us years ago. He couldn't be what they saw right?" Sin shook his head. "I heard people saying the wolf was at least 6 feet tall on all fours." He turned to watch Sly for a second. Sly sniffed the air and cowarded, whining before he ran off into the woods scared. Sin and Sam looked at each other worried. "That was weird... Foxes are the only predators around this part of the woods. They shouldn't be scared.." "And Sly wouldn't be afraid of us.." A loud huff made both of them jump. They began looking around as the area around them turned dark. "What's going on?!" Sin growled as his eyes glazed over. "No one is here... I don't hear any thoughts." The shadows closed in as a giant midnight blue wolf stepped out of the shadows. It growled as it began to circle them. "Oh my god..." "It's real..." The wolf huffed at them as another shadow appeared. This one was more solid and in the shape of a wolf. But there was no second wolf... "Wait a second.. Sam.. Wasn't there a mutant who had a wolf shadow?!" Sam nervously fiddled in her pocket, pulling out her phone. "umm.. Yeah it says there was one... It was Mutant 13 but..but they declared it dead a few years after she escaped..." The wolf growled at the name Mutant 13. "Are you sure they actually murdered her though? You know how those people were... They finally closed that terrible place down.. After..." He rubbed his neck. Around his neck he had a scar from a bad burn. As if there was a high voltage shock collar on him. "Sin no time to think about that. Do something!" The wolf snarled as sin pulled out a large gun-like item. "Look... I don't know if you are a mutant or a wolf. But we don't want to hurt you!" Sin growled some as the wolf stepped closer growling. He backed up "There are no thoughts." The area around them was now pitch black. The only way you could spot the wolf was by it's large glowing purple eyes. Sin tried to concentrate as he watched where it was going. The wolf growled and pounced towards Sam as Sin fired the net gun. The wolf yelped as a net tangled around it knocking it to the ground. The shadows around them collapsed and the light began to shine again. Sam and Sin sighed with relief. The only shadow left was the one of the other wolf which was still not seen in physical form. As they neared the net, they realize.. There was no longer a wolf. It was a fragile looking girl. She was covered in grass and dirt and very skinny. She curled herself into a ball and whined. As Sin and Sam stepped closer, the wolf shadow growled and stood over her, protecting her. "Who are you?" They jumped as the shadow spoke. "D-did it just speak?" Sam looked at Sin confused. "I did. I am this girl's guardian. And I am finally taking it seriously. If you mean her harm... I will kill you.." Sin shook his head. "Of course not. We would never.. My name is Sin and this is Sam.. I-I am a mutant too.." He pulled up his sleeve showing a number carved into his wrist. '725' "I was in the orphanage too... I have been trying to help other's like me... I was the reason they finally were caught... " The girl moved some as the shadow growled again. "She is very weak.... We have been out here for 5 years... Alone. I'm not sure how she will act. She doesn't understand.. She's become... Feral." The wolf nudge at the girl some as she whined. Sin looked down at her and noticed black feathered wings protruding from her back. "So she is number 13... Isn't she?" Sam spoke up and the wolf growled. "Her name is Zora.... I am Paine. As I said before I am her Guardian... Even if I just started being a good one.." He growled some as he began removing the net from around Zora. "She needs clothes. She tore hers when she finally shifted." He turned his attention to her as she sat up. His eyes glazed over and so did hers. "A-are you mind linking her?" Paine nodded at Sin's question. "I told her you won't hurt her and to go with you. She is going to shift into a different animal." Sam interrupted him. "She can be other animals as well?" Paine nodded. "Her powers are unique. She has shadow manipulation and animal shifting. A mix between her parents." Sin nodded as they watched the small framed girl begin to morph. She turned into a small black cat. "Her wings as well?" "She has those due to her other animal. We believe she shifted into it when she was younger and could never get rid of them. She will not hide them. She did it for a long 18 years in that hellhole..." Sam shook her head. "And where were you?! I thought Guardians protected their watchlings?" Paine sighed annoyed. "I said I was just becoming a good one. To be completely frank with you, I thought she was a waste. But when my Queen reminded me the very day we were considered murders, that i was suppose to protect her.." Sin nodded as he picked Zora up in his arm and stroked her black fur. She growled a bit but began to relax. "It will be a while before she will speak.... But I will tell you this. She believes she is an abomination... She knows nothing of what she truly is." He finished his sentence and vanished into thin air. Sin looked down at the cat in his arm. She was purring and asleep. "I-is his work done?" Sam question as she looked around. "No.. She has more issues then just this... If she is who I think she is... She will save the mutant race. Paine will be with her as long as she is alive. Guardians can appear and disappear as they please. He knows we mean no harm..." They both let out a long breath and turned to leave. This was a new beginning to Zora's life.



I, Paine, left as soon as Zora was safe. I had to think about everything that happened. That boy... He wants to help all mutants... He has probably done more for Zora in the short few minutes he knew her than I ever did. I sighed as I laid on a huge rock overlooking a small pond. It's not okay... I failed her for so long. I will not again. I growled as I warped away. I appeared outside of a small building in the middle of town. I peeked into the window and saw the Sin boy still holding Zora. She seemed to be sleeping. I began to mind link with her "Zora... I need you to wake up.." "I'm awake Paine.. Where am I?" "These nice people are going to help you. I'm still here. The man holding you.His name is Sin. He was Mutant 725 in the orphanage.. He got them shut down for good..." She cut the link as the two people began speaking with her. I sighed and creeped through the window. "Zora. I need to have you shift so we can get you clothes." Sam mentioned as she nodded to Sin to leave. He nodded and respond and stood up placing Zora on the bed in the room. He sighed some and walked out. He seemed hesitant to put her down... I wonder why. "Zora can you shift now?" Zora nodded as she began to morph into the girl I finally started caring for. "Paine are you here?" Sam looked around curiously. I huffed a bit making my presence known. "Can you speak Zora?" I stepped in. "She can say simple words right now." Sam nodded. "Then I will ask you. What is her age?" I looked at Zora as she looked down hugging herself. Sam was fiddling with clothes in a bin as she pulled out a t-shirt and a pair of pants. ""She is 23... She may not remember how to put them on." Zora growled at me. She opened the mindlink between us. "Stop making me seem stupid... I can speak and I remember everything...." I winced as she scolded me. She looked up at Sam and sighed. "I can speak.... And I do remember how to get dressed.. The only thing feral about me is the way I lived..." She stood up and took the clothes from Sam and stormed off into the bathroom. "Ah... You pissed her off didn't you?" I growled and nodded. I had infact forgotten how strong she is.. And how smart. One day I will get this right...