Her Awakening

Her Awakening pt 2

Part 2

Two hours later, found her surrounded by her mothers guests, she had no friends to speak of so all the party goers were colleges from her mother’s office, and as the most powerful leader the Willow Bark Coven had ever had, she was the person everyone wanted to rub elbows with. Of course, that meant being pranced around and introduced to these people who barely knew her name, nor did any of them care to remember it after said introductions. She wanted nothing more than to slip away and hide in the kitchen with Cookie until the hour stuck midnight. But that was not to be her fate. A faint clinking noise could be heard from the front of the room, her mother standing beside the roaring fireplace looked like a fairytale come to life, in her stunning gown, her twin sisters to either side of her looking both regal and dangerous. “Attention. May I have your attention, please.” She hardly had to raise her voice to command the attention of the room. “Today my youngest daughter will turn 21 years of age. As you may not be aware, she has yet to quicken into her powers.” A quick glance to the back of the room was enough for anyone to see the pity in her eyes toward her youngest child. “But regardless of that, let us toast to you, Oriana, on this your special day.”

◦ With a fake smile plastered to her face, Oriana gracefully accepted all the well wishes and accolades, and though the following rituals all follow during their birthday celebrations. She had almost forgotten how this night was likely to end until the clock in the hall started to chime the hour. Panic flowed through her, as each chime was felt throughout her body. Another stranger sensation arose from her core. Dizziness settled over her, and her fight or flight response kicked in as she dropped her champagne flute and fled the room. Tears ran down her face, her heart pounding in her ears, and she ran in a blind panic from the grand house. Her mother screamed her name from the back patio, but Oriana ignored her as she spirited into the woods.

◦ Her very bones ached, her head was foggy, and she felt like she was going to throw up. Her arms and legs were being ripped to shreds by the underbrush and thorn bushes, but all she felt was the boiling sensation that was filling her. The dark of the night, combined with the thickness of the trees, made it hard to see that she was coming upon a deep ravine or the tree whose exposed roots were hanging off the side. Her feet found the roots before she had time to register where she was. Suddenly, she was weightless and then falling. She had no time to think only to react, as she her brain went into survival mood she heard a voice whisper, “Shift.” Confusion serged through her. “Shift!” The voice said more urgently. The voice sounded like herself but more somehow. “SHIFT! NOW!” It screamed into her head like lightning cutting through the night. Sharp pain like nothing she had ever felt before struck her, bones cracking, reshaping, elongated muscles stretched to the tearing point ripping and lengthening. Her eye sight changed, allowing her to take in the night, the sides of the cliff as she fell, and the dry creek bed at the bottom. She turned, positioning herself in an effort to brace herself for the landing. Nothing made sense, yet her body seemed to know what to do to survive. She landed with a hard thud that rattled her from paws to ears and fell to her side. Stunned, she lay there panting, trying to catch her breath. A sudden thought made her catch her breath, “Paws!” She croaked. Oriana carefully stood and looked to her feet but instead found four large, furry gray paws. Her eyes traveled to the strong legs and body. “What the hell?” She breathed. Walking over to the small puddle of water, she peered down to see the reflection, not of a small mousy girl but of a wolf. A beautiful wolf, with eyes the color of a thunderstorm, grays and greens all swirled together, and her fur was like foggy morning and glimmered like silver in the moonlight “No. No. No. No no no, no, no!” She backed away from the puddle. “I’m a witch. I’m not a werewolf! How?!” She sobbed to herself. “Still.” That other voice whispered. “Be still.” The voice was so soothing, like cool water on a sunburn. “You will soon know.” It whispered. “Now, shift.” And as the words left her mind, she felt herself change and mold back into herself, and yet she knew she was different.