Hunter or Hunted??

Confessions

Shane pov...

I woke up feeling so very refreshed and almost like I had over slept. As I opened my eyes and looked around, I realized that the sun was flooding through my skylight so that meant it was at least halfway through the day. Amora never let me sleep this late... if I wasn't up at the ass c***k of dawn she was in my burrow finding out what my plans were for the day but she was no where to be found today. It was nice just laying here on all my furs cuddled up with my colorful quilt in my panther form just sprawled out.

A shadow moved over my skylight, which of course got me curious so I shifted into my human regular form and got dressed quickly to make my way upstairs.

My room was surrounded by healing crystals that I had found while we were digging out extra rooms, Mama said since I found them the room was naturally mine and she found a way to make them reflect the light from the skylight also. The rainbowish milky blue light that shone through it was absolutely gorgeous, I dug out a burrow on the other side for Jack that way he was still close by me and I've always had a pull towards him like he's my little brother. In reality we could be and I want him close by so I can protect him since we're all we know of that's left of our blood family.

As I got closer to the kitchen, I slowed my pace and listened to the men I could hear talking to Mama.

"Orders are orders Ma'am, we can't change what the Alpha has planned. We can only do as he wishes, please have Shane at the castle for his first training session at sunrise tomorrow." I peeked around the corner as he bowed his head and then the very large men both turned around and left.

"Why would he want you Shane? Especially now..." she said as if she knew I was hiding but listening. "Get out here child, stop playing games!"

"What was that all about? I only heard the end of the conversation, why am I going to the castle and who were those guys?"

"Those, my dear child, were the Alphas warrior messengers and he sent them here to recruit you into his scouts. Rayne has hand picked you as her second in command on her training team. Training sessions start tomorrow morning, I have no idea how to prepare you for this other than making sure you eat well and get a good amount of sleep. The training Rayne will go through is intense and with you on her team they will test you to your limits to make sure you can protect her from any threat that comes her way." she sounded worried but I already knew she had confidence that I could do anything they could throw at me.

Go gather everything Glimmer has had put aside for me please so I can get a bag put together for you. I want to make some fresh ointments and send some snacks with you to keep you energized and focused.

I wasn't sure what to think about being a part of training with Rayne but I knew that it wasan honor to be chosen right off the git go especially since I had just turned 16 and started figuring out a few of my special abilities. I had no clue that Rayne had even been interested in me being on her team of trainies, as I wandered the fairy drop off sections my mind was elsewhere trying to decipher how life had changed so much in such a short amount of time. Tomorrow bright and early I would be at the castle grounds training section with Rayne and who knows how many other fighters that would be trained for her scouting team. I glanced down at a basket full of apples and started putting them in the big bag I had been filling followed by a few nice looking squash and pumpkins. We has gotten a good amount of melons the last couple weeks and our herbs were coming in rather full and abundant this year.

*c***k*

Someone had stepped on a stick, rather close to me but I hadn't heard them approaching before that moment so I swung around fast to see who was behind me. Crashing into a large body wasn't part of the plan and the both of us falling into the blueberry bushes I was getting ready to move along to absolutely wasn't part of the plan but by the end of my fast maneuver I wished I had just stayed calm and cool.

I could feel warm stickiness on my hands and face from catching myself the best I could and the smell of sweet blueberries was everywhere, there was no denying where we had landed. I was surprised how close the person had gotten to me without any notice, were they really that quiet or had the last few days thrown me off? Reminding me that I wasn't alone I turned to look at who I had pinned under neath me and to my surprise it was Rayne.

"I'm so sorry! Had I known it was you I would have never......"

"No! It's alright! I'm not supposed to be here so keep your voice down, please." she put her finger to my lips and started to wriggle around when I realized I needed to get off of her so I moved, helping her to her feet at the same time. Without missing a beat she says, "I think something is wrong with my parents, the more I learn my powers and tell anyone anything the stranger they act. You've always been the top fighter in our class and you're smart, smarter than anyone I know. Help me figure out why all of this seems so wrong..... please??"

Her beautiful eyes just seemed to stare right through my soul, pleading for help. "Of course I'll help you!! I've been wondering about your family myself and looking into all of our history in general. It's obvious that YOU are a part of the royal family but the rest seems mysterious in many ways."

"Thank you so much!! I knew you could see that something was going on and I've had this strange pull to you for so long. I'll see you tomorrow morning in the garden behind the castle, I'll be there until training starts." with that she grabbed both of my shoulders and kissed my cheek fast then turned around dissapearing into the woods as fast and quietly as she had when this all started.

I have to talk to Mama about all of this.... I gathered the last of the things Glimmer and her workers had put out then rushed off to ask for advice.

Mama was putting cookies and her amazing apple cinnamon crunch snack bars in the oven as I walked in. She turned to me and started grabbing bags from my hands, leaning over to get as close as she could, "Do not speak of tomorrow in front of the other we'll talk about your meeting, a moment ago, after everyone settles down in their rooms." she gave me a nod, looked at me knowingly with a smirk on her face waiting for my facial expressions, must have been satisfied and danced off into the house tidying up and putting things in my backpack for tomorrow. I always knew she knew things but that was the first time she had been so straight forward on the subject. The rest of the day I helped with goodie bars and snacks along with a good amount of food prep, which was strange because we never made this much food ahead of time. I had the feeling that something big was getting ready to happen and she was the only one that knew about anything in our home. I helped with clean up with out being asked and convinced all the younger kids to go to sleep early then I waited for Cloud to decide it was bedtime but he just sat there staring at me.

"What's your problem tonight?" he growles under his breath but Mama butts in before I can say anything...

"He just has a great deal on his mind already and I told him I needed to speak with him after everyone settled down, is it really that strange for him to be helpful? I wish you would all act as family and stop being so suspicious of each other...." she huffed off to grab a bag of things then came back handing me a second bag I hadn't noticed before. "You'll be coming with me on my deliveries tonight, I want to introduce you to a few people." Cloud looked amazed that she just told me I was coming with her, she had never invited anyone else along let alone told them point blank they were coming with and none of us knew what she did or who she visited when she made these runs but I had a feeling that she was planning something or knew something no one else knew.

She put cookies and creme out in front of Cloud then led the way out of the house and into the woods. I followed in silence unsure of what to say or when would even be a safe point and time to talk about any of the things so I just walked along side her.

"Do you remember Thorn and Thistle?" she started off, "the twins?" I didn't remember her mentioning that they had names but I knew who the twins were from our adventure home through the woods so I nodded. "That's where we're heading first, we can speak freely now that we're deep enough in the woods."

"How did you know that Rayne came to visit me? I'm so confused about all of this and I don't know how to react to it all." I stopped walking and gazed into her eyes in hopes that I would get a straight answer for once.

"You've assumed for years that I have visions and it's true, I see the future, the past and the present as I please but for a long while now I've been keeping an eye on you children as much as I can. There are more of you.... I have children that wouldn't be accepted by those in our tribe, you'll meet one tonight Peg is excited to finally meet you." she started walking again but at a slower pace. "I have a feeling that Thorn and Thistle will react better to you than me so we're going to go there and see what happens."

"You're a witch? Like a real which? I knew that's what your eyes meant!"

"Let's not dwell on this subject, we have much to do and I have a great deal to reveal to you." we were approaching the old mill and I could already smell the boys, they weren't attempting to hide their scent this time. "We'll just bring the gift bags up to the walk way like last time and see what happens, if they don't react will continue on to see Peg." I nodded my head as she handed me the two bags and she nodded back as I started heading to the walk way. Their scent was getting stronger with every step I took and to my surprise they were both waiting for me when I turned the corner. I smiled and glanced back at Mama not sure how this was going to go. One of them walked over to me and shifted into a pure red leopard, I had never seen anything like it before, his spots were dark red and his eyes were a shade of forest green that was gorgeous. As he approached sniffing me his brother shifted into a lighter creme like orange leopard with light green eyes, he looked to be the calmer of the two in body language and his tone in general. I set the bags down where they had been placed last time and they both rubbed up to me purring for a moment, then they transformed, picked up the bags and disappeared into the darkness. I think I had stopped breathing for a moment because at that moment I had to tell myself to breath. I turned to Mama with the biggest smile on my face and sprinted over to her.

"Good job, my love. You'll do great at this." she says in a musical purring voice.

"Let's get to Peg and see what you think, we can chat some more on the way."

"Why haven't you told any of us about your powers? Is it really that bad to be a witch?" I blurted out and she laughed.

"It isn't bad, it's just that some people are scared and would make others scared with stories that wouldn't be true. I've seen what could happen if to many people were to know about me, I was waiting for the right time to tell you because no matter which path I take to the future I hope for you are the one that I trust my side of our world to first." we had been walking rather fast and I noticed when she slowed her pace. "We're almost there, I want to give you fare warning that she is a very large long haired silver tarantula and though she looks scary she's extremely loving and playful." my jaw hung open as an enormous silverish blue tarantula approached from behind her with deep swirling blue eyes like a whirl pool, her fangs were sparkling white and her legs had white speckled through dark gray. I had never seen anything so beautiful and terrifying at the same time before now.

"Is this Shane? My big brother!? Can we play? Do you know to climb trees?!?" she was so excited she couldn't contain her happiness.

"Change into your panther and climb around with her, I'll prepare us a meal for when you're done. If she gets to rough let her know, she's never had any play mates before now." I smirked and went behind a tree to morph without ruining my clothes, then we were off and running through the woods together. Jumping from tree to tree and dropping from branches to the ground out of nowhere, we were having the best time ever but I was getting tired after the thought of what tomorrow could bring. I let her know that I was going to change and went back to my clothes, then we walked together over to Mama who was setting what looked to be soup and loaves of bread out on a table near the cliff. The woods always smelled amazing to me but with her food added into the aroma I was in love with everything to do with being out here tonight. Peg wanted to know everything I could tell her about the rest of our family and we sat for at least an hour eating and chatting before Mama decided I needed to get home to rest up for my big day.

"I'll make sure everyone knows where you are tomorrow after you've been noticed missing for a bit. I don't want to be repeating myself over and over so I'll stick to one announcement." she told me as we walked up to the glowing pathway outside the house. To be honest, I was glad she was going to explain for me and I slipped through the house quietly, into my room and off to dream land.