Hard choices

Awakening.

    She flung her backpack onto the floor near her bed. She was too tired to do her homework, collapsing onto her bed ignoring the thoughts of food as well. If it could wait it would, it's not like she particularly cared about her grades. She definitely wasn't getting any scholarships and had no plans for college. Escape was the only concern. A text message made itself known with a small noise. She flipped over slowly to grab her phone. It was from her mom, checking in on her for the first time in weeks. It was the same lie every time.

    "We'll be home soon sweetheart, hang in there. Let us know if you need anything in the meantime. Hope you are doing well! Here's a photo so you can see where we are. Miss you bunches."

Attached to the text was a photo of her mother and father, they looked happier than she ever had been. They were at the beach during their day off. They worked as traveling consultants for some business or another, Zyra couldn't remember and didn't care to. They were only ever home once every few months usually only for a day before flying off again with no mention of the time they would come back. Her mom was a brunette with blue eyes with a soft plump face. She was named Shion. Her father had gray hair and amber eyes with a rugged face from years of worrying after his mate, his name was Asher.

    She was finally dozing off when a pain came out of no where that wasn't her usual soreness. She clutched at her stomach gasping at the suddenness and the intensity of the pain radiating throughout her entire body. Sounds of breaking bones could be heard faintly over the sounds of her screams. Her bones were rearranging themselves for the first time as she finally shifted into her wolf form. The nearby mirror revealed to her that she had snow white fur and amber gold eyes. She was pretty large compared to the other wolves she had seen when she was younger. A voice resonated in her head.

* Finally you have awoken. I'm Freya your wolf. We have much work ahead of us if this is the level of pain you feel when shifting. Let's go for a run and see what you know.*

    Zyra flinched unprepared for everything that was happening. She felt even more fatigued than before but excited at the same time. She looked down at her paws testing her claws in amusement. She pawed her window open cautiously, jumping out so she could go on her first run. Her body was a little but clumsy at first but she got the hang of it quickly, running nimbly. She ran through the forest enjoying the feel of the grass and dirt beneath her paws. She rubbed up against a tree, marking it with her scent. Her wolf was growling her approval when her head popped up alert of a noise nearby. She investigated cautiously and saw it was just a bunny. Dropping to her haunches quietly she watched vigilantly, waiting for the precise moment she could pounce on her prey. When the moment came Freya signaled and jumped free of the bushes missing the bunny by inches. It quickly fled fearing for its life much to Zyra's disappointment she heard Freya lecture her.

* I see I have much to teach you before you can become an effective huntress. Let's find some things to practice on so I may teach you the correct way.*

     Deciding this was the correct way to proceed with her plans to no longer be defenseless she stayed outside for a few hours practicing on trees and whatever wildlife she could find under Freya's careful instruction. She trained methodically on using her claws with precision in mind to not over-exert herself. After she felt she had trained enough for one day she walked deeper into the forest in search of water, knowing there was a river nearby with her heightened sense of hearing. About five minutes later she found what she wanted and lapped up the water greedily not realizing how thirsty she was. Freya talked to her as she quenched her thirst.

*You've done well today, we should head back I can feel us getting tired and you will be very sore tomorrow. You should probably not leave the house if you can avoid it.*

    Walking home was exhausting physically. Mentally she noted she should conserve her energy more while in wolf form until she got stronger in general. When she finally made it home she changed back which itself was almost as painful as changing the first time. She had heard that the more often you change the easier it got. She hoped that was the case for both her and Freya's sake. She passed out almost instantly when her head hit the pillow drifting into a peaceful slumber, smiling about finally getting to meet her wolf.