Nydewin

Chapter 7

Chapter 7 

Trapped in some sort of trance I reached up and touch his cheek, to make sure he was real. When my fingertips touched his skin, a slight moan escaped his lips, as he pushed his face further into my hand.

The urge to lean up and kiss him was growing stronger, the more I looked into his eyes. it wasn’t until I moved my hand to the nape of his neck and felt the feathers, that I remembered what and who he was. Trance broken, I stepped out of his arms, it didn’t take long for the anger to fill me. But it wasn’t until he gave me a sly smile that, I lost control of myself and head butt him in the nose.

His hands went straight to his noise and he moaned in pain.

“Jerk.” Was all I said as I stepped away from him, hugging myself

Taril and Benita stood there, mouths open, while Sachi laughed.

“What did you do that for?” Cormac finally asked, probing his nose

“I didn’t think a slap to the face was good enough, for you tricking me into leaving my home, for lying to me.” I answered, I blinked rapidly, trying to stop the tears that were starting to form. Argh, I hated getting angry, I always started crying.

“Oh, Amelia.” My name sounded so beautiful, so sweet, coming from him, all I wanted was to melt. I wanted to hear him say it again. “I needed to get you here.” I could feel the regret in his words.

“I told you everything!” I was still angry; tears had started to fall down my cheeks “All my deepest secrets.”

“And I will take all of them to the grave.” Cormac replied

Now that the tears had started, they wouldn’t stop. ‘Great, now I choose to have a break down.” I thought to myself

I turned away from everyone and walked off the path and into the forest. I could feel the worry, and fear coming from them.

“Amelia!” Benita called out

“I’m not going far.” I said as I tried to hold back sobs “just going for a walk.”

But secretly I still just wanted to go home. Back to my own world, where there was no magic. Where there was no evil witch or magical creatures.  After a few minutes I felt a hand rest on my shoulder, and instantly, I felt my emotions start to come under control. I looked up into Cormac’s eyes and found dark blue eyes, filled with sadness, looking back at me. There was something about Cormac that always made me feel safe, and comfortable, no matter how along or lost I felt, his presents the last week had made it feel all worth it.

I tried to give him a smile, but his blue eyes darkened even more. I could feel the pain and sadness coming from him, on impulse I reached up and touched his cheek. He closed his eyes and he rested his head heavily in my hand. I watched as his face softened and a small smile flickered across his lips.

“Amelia.” The way he said my name, made my heart skip, my soul sung, and my knees weaken. When he opened his eyes again, they were back to their perfect, bright blue eyes.

A cough came from the road, breaking the trance that his deep blue eyes had over me. “someone is trying to get our attention.” I whispered

And like a slap to the face, I watched how Cormac’s face went from being passive and peaceful to stone cold. Our little trance was broken. We both took a step back from each other. Then made our way back to the path, where Benita was waiting for us. Hand on hip, tapping her foot.

“I don’t know what is going on between you two, but we seriously need to get moving.” She said sternly.

We continued along the path in silence again. I didn’t mind their strange habit of walking in silence, it allowed me to think, to try and work things out in my head. It wasn’t until my feet started to ache and the sun started to disappear that the silence was beginning to become too much to bear.

“So how far is this Clan?” I asked 

Silence. I looked at Cormac.

“a week, on foot.” He answered sourly

I stopped frozen in my tracks. He looked back at me, with a worried look on his face.

“A whole week?” I repeated it as a question

“Yes.” He hissed the answer under his breath “But we will pass a town and grab horses, it should only take us a couple of days.”

“How long until I can bath?” I asked

Cormac made a face

‘lovely’ I thought.

“you don’t seem happy?” I asked 

I had been smelling the anger on him since we had started walking.

I watched as his eyes darted from me to the others, then back to the ground. Before he could answer Sachi pipped in.

“He is always on edge,” she gave a sly smile “He has big anger issues, so his clan is trying to get him to mate with another shifter” Cormac shot Sachi a shut-up look “What? It’s true.” She smiled at me “They think it will help him control his anger better.” She then made some kissing noises, teasing Cormac.

“It’s true.” I said feeling awkward, when everyone turned to look at me “Studies show that s*x, releases a chemical in your brain, that makes you feel happier.” As I said the words out loud, I could feel my cheeks starting to turn red.

I felt Cormac stiffen next to me, and Taril started laughing.

“Shh!” Benita, said, holding her hand up to stop us from walking.

“What is it?” Taril asked

For a while Benita said nothing, she just stood there cloudy eyed. Then very suddenly she was speaking. “Cormac, scout the surrounding area, we will be camping here tonight.” Benita said

“but we still have hours left before the sun fully sets.” Taril argued.

Benita gave him a look that, even scared me a bit. “Go!” she directed Cormac

Just like that, Cormac shifted into a raven and flew away.

When I lost sight of Cormac, I found that the others had started to set up camp already, I decided to help Sachi with the wood.

However, before I had taken more than a few steps Benita called me

“Come sit with me.” Benita said pulling me with her towards a fallen log. “I think it is time we started talking about your magic, and what great things you are capable of.”

Benita smiled, “we already know that you are capable of shifting, and that you can communicate with animals with your mind.” Benita put a hand on my leg “and if you are anything like prince Thiajar, or even Kaaewin you are going to be capable of many different and wonderful things.”

I shook my head at her “I don’t even know who they are.”

“Kaaewin and Thiajar are two of the most powerful witches of Nydewin. They are your ancestors. That means you will be capable of doing this.” Benita clicked her fingers and a small flame appeared in the middle of her palm. “You will have all my gifts, of elemental magic.” Benita smiled at me, making a fist around the small flame, extinguishing it. “Amelia, you will be able to do all this.” She placed her hands on the eart palms down. I watched as grass grew in thick soft patches.

“This is why the ground was so comfortable last night?” I asked

“Yes, and Amelia you will be able to learn this and so much more”

I nodded enthusiastically “Okay, so where do we begin then?”

Benita laughed “First things first we need to get to the Pack.”

“Why the pack? I thought you were going to teach me some elemental magic?” I asked confused

Benita gave me a half smile “You have a lot to learn. Not just about your powers, but also about your history, Nydewin’s history. And Cormac’s pack can help you understand it all. The packs Alpha can help you with this. Afterwards Sachi, Taril, Cormac and I will show you how to fight.” Benita smiled at me “I know you already have some fighting skills, but not against magical attacks, and that’s what we are here for, to teach you how to protect yourself.”

As Benita drank some water, I contemplated everything she was saying.

“What about now?” I asked

“what do you mean?” She asked eyebrow raised

“Could you teach me a few things while we travel? You know so you don’t have to babysit me.” I said

Benita didn’t answer. But the look she gave me was all I need to know that I was right.

“You are stronger and more capable of looking after yourself, then you give yourself credit for” Cormac spoke softly in my mind.

I looked up into the sky to find, him circling us as he descended towards us. I smiled up at him, wishing I could fly.

Cormac shifted only a couple feet from the ground, in front of us. “There is no sign of any-one around.” He spoke to Benita, but his eyes never left mine.

“Good.” Benita replied nodding. Looking thoughtfully into the fire that was now lite.

“Come” he said, offering me his hand

“Where?” I asked

“I’m going to give you another shifter lesson.”

I followed Cormac only a few feet further into the forest before Cormac shifted into a wolf.

“Your turn.” He said looking at me

I closed my eyes and thought about shifting into a wolf. Almost immediately, I could feel the burn. I hesitated and felt the burn starting to build, starting to burn hotter.

“Let go.”

I did as the voice in my head bid. I let the burn flow throw me. When the burning stopped a moment later, I looked down, to find two big grey furry paws. I breathed out a sigh of relief and looked around for Cormac.

“Better.” He said with a nod of approval, before walking further into the forest.

“What are we learning?” I asked

“Hunting.”

“What?” I yelped

“We are getting food for dinner tonight.” I could hear the amusement in his voice.

Determined to prove that I wasn’t as soft as everyone thought I was, I straightened my back and walked beside Cormac.

“What are we hunting?” I asked looking around

“Well I thought we would start off with something, small and tricky.” He watched for my reaction “something that will show me what I have to work with.” He went quiet for a moment, and stared blankly into the forest before turning back to me and smiled

“what?” I asked

“Your eyes are filled with excitement,” he looked my body over “and so are your muscles, they are twitching.” He gave a small laugh

“So? Just tell me what we are hunting.” I demanded

“It’s the first time since you have been here that I have seen you genuinely excited.” He replied

I nipped at his shoulder, playfully “What are we hunting?” I asked again, getting impatient

“Rabbit.” I heard Cormac’s own excitement in his voice and saw it in his eyes.

“Rabbit?” I asked, he nodded “Show me.”

Cormac laughed “Sorry, dear but you are showing me what you are capable of.”

I looked at him confused

“you’re doing this on your own.”

“What!” I yelped again

“You heard. I want to know how bad or good you are at being a wolf.” He answered, getting comfortable on a patch of green soft grass. “Now go hunt.” He said closing his eyes.

I stared at him for a while, before realising that he was serious. I let out a heavy sigh and prayed that I’d be able to do this. I used my new-found senses and started searching for rabbit close by.

“Any advice?” I asked after finding one not too far away.

He opened one eye and looked up at me “Just trust your instincts.”

“My instincts?”

“you’re a wolf now, not just in physical form, but in spirit.” He answered

He must have seen the disbelief on my face or read it in my emotions 

Cormac let out a big sigh and sat back up to look at me “when shifters are younger, before we learn how to shift, we are taught that our first shift will imprint on our souls, that our souls will remember. And that when we go to shift again, our soul will choose whether it wants to learn another form or if it is content with the first. That is why some shifters can shift into more than one form, and others can only shift into a singular form.”

I considered this new information.

I nodded slowly “okay.”

“Good, just trust in yourself.”

I made my way slowly and carefully towards the rabbit that I had found earlier. I tried to keep my racing mind quiet, I tried to stay focused on the rabbit, on the hunt. But I still had too many questions that needed answering.

My first attempt at catching a rabbit was terribly clumsy. The rabbit got away by hiding in his burrow. I knew what I had done wrong. And I knew if I couldn’t quiet my thoughts, I wouldn’t be able to catch anything. Again, I used my new senses to seek out new pray. It didn’t take long before I found more pray not too far away. Only a couple of leaps.

No! Something in me told me I needed to get closer, my stomach growled loudly. I really needed to eat. ‘Just trust your instincts.’ I heard the words like a memory.

I sighed heavily ‘okay’ I said to myself. I closed my eyes and focused on closing my mind off to any and all distractions. Then I listened to the small voice that was trying so hard to make its self-known. When I opened my eyes again, it felt like I had a purpose, like the only thing that mattered in that moment was food.

I slowly creeped closer and closer, just one paw after another, stalking my pray. It wasn’t until I was in sight on my pray that I realised that there was more than one rabbit, there was four. My brain was telling me that I wouldn’t be able to get more than one. But whatever was egging me on at the point, was telling me that I would be able to get all four or at least three. All I had to do was let go. Let my instincts take over. I closed my eyes again, I wanted so badly to show everyone that I wasn’t completely useless.

I wanted to prove myself to Cormac. So, I let my inner wolf take complete control, I felt my whole-body quiver with excitement. The next thing I knew, I was opening my eyes, leaping into the group of rabbits then in a matter of seconds they all sat limp in a pile. 

“well done.” I heard Cormac say, as he came from out of the bushes. “we should get this back, so Taril can cook them up.”

As Cormac bent down to pick up one of the Rabbits. On nothing more than instincts, I lowered myself, into a pouncing position, and growled deeply and loudly at Cormac.

He froze, I saw and felt the flash of fear then surprise pass through his eyes. “Amelia.” His voice was soft and careful “Shift back.” I heard the order, but every muscle, in my body wanted to fight it.

I growled back, I watched as Cormac’s own muscles tensed and quivered, as he fought my own command to bow.

“I am the son of an Alpha, Amelia. And you are still just a pup” His voice was no longer soft, he was projecting his power into every word “Now shift!”

I felt as he drew on his own inner strength. I watched as he grew bigger along with his strength. My brain was telling me to back down, but my inner wolf didn’t want to, she knew she could take him and win, and she wanted to. I nearly let her take control, I nearly let her have her fun. But I reeled her in. I made her bow to the young wolf in front of me, trying so hard to control her. I felt her smile, before backing off, back into the little dark spot in my mind. I grabbed two of the rabbits and started heading back to the others. When Cormac didn’t move, I turned to find him looking at me wide eyed.

“Well, are you coming?” I asked before flicking my tail at him playfully before leaving.

I felt the confusion and frustration radiating from Cormac as he followed me. Cormac knew I had the strength to overpower him, but just like me, he also knew that I didn’t have the skill. So, I would keep him on his toes. I had, had enough of being pushed into doing things I didn’t want to. It might have just been my new inner wolf giving me the strength that I always wish I had, I didn’t know, but I rather liked it.