Rise of the Underdogs: Jasper

River's Unexpected Shift

Some things should not be allowed to exist. Some shouldn’t even be thought of. There are things that bend the veil, that walk between breath and silence. They carry the scent of death, if you can catch it, yet speak with the voice of memory.

Yet, what do you say about a Bear shifter who saved you and your siblings? One who emerged from the Great Divide, not with claws but with purpose. He didn’t speak of war or vengeance. He spoke of warmth, shelter, survival. He taught us how to listen to the wind, how to ration our strength and food so that it lasted days rather than hours. He showed Levi and I how to move without leaving much trace. He showed all of us how to move through the world with steady thoughts and hearts without being devoured by it.

He never asked for worship. Never demanded loyalty. He simply walked beside us through snow, hunger, and the kind of fear that makes your bones forget how to breathe. The type that makes you see threats that don’t exist in shadows that held secrets long-buried.

I thought back over our travels as we lay on a bed of furs graciously provided by our hosts. Akita was nestled between the twins while River was curled into Carson’s side. Levi and I were taking turns keeping watch, randomly stoking the fire and keeping vigil over our family and our host family. It was my turn now, while he lay back-to-back with Quinton.

Staring at the flickering embers, I let my thoughts wander back to the wilds long before we reached safety. That’s when I realized something awe-inspiring.

When he first arrive at our camp, he had no scent. Made no sound. The fires barely smoked, the wilderness hardly moved around us. His final goodbye was not a farewell, but a blessing that we find our way to sanctuary. He was never meant to stay because he was never truly here. As soon as he knew we were safe, that we’d be able to find our way from where he left us, following the trails he ingrained in our minds, he vanished.

The Bear who walked with us was a spirit all along. Called forth from the Great Divide to guide the innocent lost ones only to return to it once his task was complete.

So, whiles some things should not exist, sometimes they do. When they do, they leave behind a legacy no living creature could ever match, an imprint that carried us forward to deliver our mother’s final words to the Grand Alpha.

A movement caught my eye, and I turned to see Geraldine, Tara’s grandmother. “Early to rise?”

“No, child,” she answered softly. “The night has left my mind troubled, so sleep is not something that will come easily to me. You see, long ago when I was a girl, my father went to hunt for the village.”

She paused, letting me catch up to her on my own. How did I respond to a woman who, though aged, was the daughter of the spirit that saved my siblings? Then, I said, “He was a good man. Though a Bear shifter, he helped six lost Werewolf pups trying to escape death.”

Nodding, Geraldine smiled sadly. “It was his way. The way of the Gods who gifted us our power of transformation. Father never returned, you know. When we found his remains in the cave a week and a half’s travel from here, we noticed he’d passed smiling, like he knew his time had come and he was happy to be welcomed back into the Great Circle. When you described him, described his bear with the scarred hide and the soft, gentle chuffs, I knew what you said was truth beyond reasonable doubt.”

“Is that why you’re sheltering us?” I asked, glancing over at my siblings. Dogpiled in sleep, the older ones were keeping the younger safe and warm. I sniffed the air, catching a scent that was both familiar and new.

It was sharp, tangy and vaguely familiar. Then I heard a whimper. Not just any sound, but one brought on by the proximity to the first shift. The first transformation.

Moving with a quiet stealth, I reached River’s side. Placing my hand on his head, I pulled back while watching him with caution. Shaking him awake, I glanced at Geraldine. “Please, what is the moon this week?”

“Second phase of the Waning Cresent,” she answered, her eyes troubled and tone curious. “Why, child? What’s happening?”

“Dear Goddess, please protect him,” I breathed as I grabbed my brother and carried him outside. Kneeling by a large embankment of snow, I laid him down and started removing his clothing. He was in a sleep so deep that he never stirred, not even when the icy air and snow touched his burning body.

Minutes later, Geraldine and Levi were by my side, watching as I used everything Mother had taught us about the first shift to help my middle brother stay alive through the excruciating, burning pain. “His birthday, Levi. Do you remember? The human calendar one.”

“February sixteenth,” his voice trailed. “Oh… snap. It’s not just his first shift, it’s his golden birthday.”

“Today is the seventeenth day of the second calendar month,” Geraldine murmured. “His official day of birth was yesterday. Is this… normal?”

I shook my head. “It’s normal for us to shift days, weeks, or sometimes, in rare cases, months after we reach sixteen. However, Werewolves going through his first shift don’t usually do it in their sleep. River is… he’s different. Special. Mother once said his eyes reflect Father Sky, that he could sense and do things others would and could not.”

Levi swallowed, “Jas, if that’s true, then only he and Akita would have known Ujurak was a spirit all along. Maybe that’s why they were so quiet on the journey here. What if-”

“Enough! Do not speak of possibilities when we know nothing is truly set in stone. Do not breathe false hope into being, little brother,” I said, handing him River’s clothes.

He stood there, unmoving for a few moments. “Jasper?”

“Go inside and remain there until I say otherwise. In place of our parents, I am your guardian. Geraldine, have you any spare meat? River’s wolf will hunger for the hunt until it calms. It doesn’t always happen, but I am taking precaution.”

She nodded, “Wise path, Jasper. Wise, indeed. Come along, Levi. We will gather what we can and ensure your other siblings are fine. Jasper, had you not noticed, this would have placed everyone – your family and mine – at risk.”

Without thinking, I said, “Your father gave me the tools to hear and see past my human limitations. I’m only using them.”

“Be that as it may, you are worthy of protection, young Wolf. I pray your brother survives this night to draw breath again with the rise of Brother Sun.” She answered before vanishing into the woods.

As they went inside, I let out a breath. An idea came to me as I knelt by my brother. Quickly removing my clothing, I called out to Levi through the family link we’d successfully created under Ujurak’s cautious teachings. Well, back before we knew the truth, that is. ‘Levi! Come get my clothing. I’m going to shift into my wolf. If he sees another wolf once he turns, it will help keep him calm. He will recognize pack.’

‘You sure that’s safe?’ He asked in return.

‘Yes,’ I said. He appeared at my elbow as I finished the thought.

Carefully folding my attire, I handed them over to him with both hands as ceremony dictated. He blinked, licking his lips before forcing the words out. “I don’t want to lose you and River, Jas. Please, be careful.”

I raised a brow and asked, “Why do you think Mother always had some of us be in shifted form when a pup got their wolf? The wolf would sense its kin and see them co-existing with humans. It diminishes the possibility of them bolting or attacking anyone. I am Alpha Elect until Akita turns of age to claim her birthright. Only then will I vacate the responsibility of pack leader and guardian.”

He blinked, “Honestly, I ever thought about it. Your answers are really long-winded when you’re stressed, you know.”

For a moment, we stared at each other, the silence of the night folding around us as the first trendles of morning twilight touched the eastern horizon. Then, his head bowed in submission, he glanced at me only to realize something. “You’re not angry?”

Scoffing, I shook my head with a small smile. “Levi, always recall Mother’s teachings. Never fear to raise your voice if something doesn’t feel right. Questions bring truths to light. Voiced concerns save lives. Never forget that.”

He nodded, seeming to understand my meaning. “Okay.”

Once he was inside, I shifted into Kavik. ‘When he shift’s, please take over. I cannot do this alone.’

‘This is highly irregular, human. You make a fair point, however. I will assist. Do not make a habit of this just yet,’ he shot back.

‘I understand, Kavik. Thank you. I greatly appreciate your assistance.’ I answered.

Rather than answer, he remained quietly beside me as we prepared to greet my brother’s wolf.

Minutes after I completed my own shift, River’s body began to respond to the impending change. He lay there, sweat-soaked, the heat emanating from him so intense it seemed to burn through the embankment beneath him. At first, there was only stillness—a tense pause where nothing seemed to happen and time itself hung in the balance.

He drew in a deep breath, his heart hammering loudly in the stillness around us. A small whimper escaped him until he calmed once again. The crack, pop, and resetting of bones, cartilage and tendons as his wolf surfaced. Another ten minutes later, and his first shift was completed. He was standing on shaky paws, but he was alive and, hopefully, whole.

A name echoed in my head: Auraliq.