The Shifters: Katrina

The car we drove was a large truck, with an interior for four and a bed that fit the rest of us. Aaron, Koren, Kami and Victoria rode inside, leaving Molly, Rachel and myself outside. We played games like thumb wars and double-o-seven. After the first hour of driving, Aaron claimed he was hungry and, as the driver, deemed it time for a pit stop. We pulled into the parking lot of a fast-food restaurant, and I hopped out of the truck bed. Stretching, I felt multiple joints crack, sighing happily.

"Hey dragon girl," Aaron said playfully, nudging my shoulder. "What do you want?"

"Coffee," I muttered, "and lots of food."

"Got it," he snorted, shaking his head as I stuck my tongue out.

"Hey, Katrina."

I looked around, trying to figure out which adult wanted me next. Koren noticed me spinning around, pointing to the right person. I whirled around and grinned at Rachel, blinking away my drowsiness from the long drive.

"Yeah?"

"While they're getting food, I thought we could pass the time with some storytelling."

I raised my eyebrows. "I'm not a kid going for a nap. Isn't some exercise better for us?"

She waved me off. "Ninety percent of our lives are exercise. Come on, hop back in."

I groaned, pulling myself back into the bed. I laid down, stretching like a cat across the uncomfortable space.

"So, mom, what kind of story are we hearing today?"

She snorted. "I thought you and mothers didn't work out."

I shrugged. Over time, I learned to keep my anger to a minimum toward my adoptive huntress mother, Marie. It also helped that there was four hours of terrain in between us. Nowadays I could make slightly sad, dry jokes about the entire situation. I didn't forgive her, but I wasn't angry either. Instead, I felt like she was another piece of the puzzle I needed to study.

"Abagail is still on good terms with me," I sighed, "she's a regular person who I haven't seen in months. That's good enough."

Rachel pursed her lips. "I hope I can be your favourite mom, then."

"Sure," I laughed. "So, the story?"

The blonde nodded, linking her fingers together as she chewed her lip. She was thinking, but not about the story. Rachel seemed almost shy.

"Rachel?"

"I... Was thinking about telling you the rest of the legend -- well, story -- about Zei Droves."

I tilted my head, looking up at her from where I laid. The furry edge of my coat's hood tickled my face as I frowned.

"Didn't you end off saying they were helping him adjust? Isn't that the end?"

Rachel shrugged. "There's a bit more to it."

I motioned for her to continue. "Be my guest."

The adult woman rolled her eyes, smiling at me. The elites had always found my personality brash and amusing, even if they'd helped me mature since I came to Iluita.

"After the originals -- Elegance, Ferocity, Loyalty and Pride -- helped Zei, the boy, adjust to his abilities, he began to realize that there were more people like him. People who didn't know why they didn't belong with normal human beings."

"Like me," I added quietly. She shushed me, and I fell silent to listen to her story.

"He wanted to make a location for every shapeshifter to feel safe. To feel like they belong. To be able to hone their abilities without being seen as a freak. The originals, who realized that their abilities were now spreading to regular people as well, supported the idea. They protected Zei as he ventured through the world searching for a piece of land big enough to hide away in. Finally, he settled, the five of them working together to build the first home of shapeshifters. It was years before the original compound was finished, and it took even longer to fill it with people. However, the boy did it. But the world runs on balance. As the shapeshifters found success, something else was building itself to ruin it for them."

"The hunters?" I interrupted softly.

Rachel nodded, her expression somber.

"Human hunters began stumbling upon the compound, spotting large animals, people who were human one second and animal the next, and even people who didn't flinch while walking through fire or who didn't drown when surrounded by water. Conspiracy theories turned into real groups of hunters. At first, they acted as spies. Studying this race of humanoids."

"That's probably when they started documenting things," I cut in.

Rachel nodded. "Could be. Maybe the legend will change to accommodate that."

I snorted. "Go on."

"Eventually, hostile members began to take control of the hunters. They claimed that the shapeshifters were a threat. Once they had enough support, these people spying on our kind turned into our predators. They attacked shifters when they were alone, and Zei began to notice."

"He called them back, didn't he?"

Rachel sighed. "Of course. Zei Droves called on the originals to help him save his compound. And, since they were the beginning of our race, they felt obligated to protect him and his followers."

"Like... Guardians."

"Like guardians," she agreed. "Another new piece of the legend."

"What happened after?" I prodded. "Did they save the compound?"

With the others approaching with our food, Rachel sighed. "I'll tell you the rest, quickly. Yes, they saved the compound. They appealed to the less hostile hunters and agreed to go with them if they left the compound alone. That's the end of the legend -- the originals disappearing into a group of humans as Zei Droves watched. He watched his heroes make their final sacrifice."

"Another opportunity to create historical documents," I pointed out.

The shifter shrugged. "I suppose."

"Did anything happen after?"

Rachel frowned, thinking hard. "Some compounds say that Elegance, the swan, and Loyalty, the white wolf, had a daughter and that she married Zei. However, she couldn't have been a Guardian like you -- her parents and their friends were still alive when she was born. If she was real, that is."

"If they were married... Maybe the Droves family is still existing," I murmured ruefully. "Maybe there's family legends being passed down about Zei."

"That'd be nice to discover," Rachel said, stretching. The others were already halfway across the parking lot, flashing their bags of burgers, nuggets and fries.

I snorted at the others before looking back at Rachel.

"It would be a game changer."

There was the slightest pause between us, a moment of acknowledgment.

Then, the moment was shattered. Aaron threw a bag of food at me, and I groaned as it landed on my stomach. The others hopped into the back with us, Koren glancing around to make sure we were out of sight before a flame appeared in the middle of our misshapen circle. It kept us warm as we dug into our individual bags. I found a container of ten chicken nuggets, a cheeseburger and a quarter pounder, as well as a large package of fries. Once we were settled, Aaron handed out some drinks.

To say the food tasted heavenly would be an understatement.

I had no qualms about gorging myself on the greasy fast food. I burned calories like it was nothing as a shapeshifter, so I had no worries about weight. I wasn't the only one either -- the others were wolfing down their own treats. It took the entire group less than twenty minutes to devour the food, and we all slumped back afterward, happily warm and full.

"Should we get back to driving?"

We all looked to Aaron, nodding. After piling back into our seats, I noticed something by the road linked to the parking lot.

A white wolf, the head covered in snowy white fur save for the brown patch circling its eye. Unlike most animals, it wasn't loitering and observing its surroundings. It was watching our truck, blue eyes unwavering even as I made eye contact with it.

Some part of me was expecting to hear a voice in my head due to the telepathy shapeshifters had in their animal forms.

Yet, my own thoughts were silent as Aaron started up the truck and pulled out of our spot. They were silent as we drove closer to the lingering wolf, and silent as we drove past.

The silence stuck around as the animal turned tail and disappeared.

"Katrina, you good?"

I nearly flinched, breaking out of my trance and flashing a smile to Rachel.

"Peachy."

She sighed, leaning into the side of the truck bed. "We've got three more hours."

Until I have to face everyone I left back home?

"Yeah, I know."

I wish I didn't.