The Shifters: Katrina

Droves.

Zei Droves.

He really does have a family!

"Oh my god," Victoria blurted. "That means..."

Zella shrugged. "Like you know, the Guardians really existed. And so did my ancestor, Zei."

Coraline came around her desk, approaching Zella. She pulled the woman to her feet, grasping her hand.

"What can you tell us about Zei? Why are you here, Zella?"

It was clear that Coraline was hoping for some divine insight from the famous Zei Droves' descendant -- but Zella simply shook her head.

"I'm not a prophet nor an original," she murmured, "I'm only here to speak with Katrina."

All eyes turned to me, once again.

I straightened, leaning against the doorway of Coraline's office. Instead of meeting their eyes, I stared past them and out the wall of windows. The sky was beginning to turn pink as the sun began to fall, giving way to the evening. I could see regular shifters of Iluita going about their day, some of them still mad about the foreigners and the news of Orgull.

A lot had happened recently, to me and to Iluita.

So what could this woman want?

My eyes flicked to hers.

"What is it?"

"I spied on the tiger for you," she told me, "and I want you to do something that might seem crazy."

I crossed my arms, cocking my head to the side. "And that is?"

Zella pursed her lips, walking toward me with deliberately slow steps. She grabbed my shoulders, leaning down to my level.

"When the time comes, do not blame yourself if you cannot save anyone."

"It's obvious that I can't--"

"--And... I know you want to attack him before he can attack you, but... Be prepared to let someone else clash with Xavier, Katrina. It may not be you who starts the fight against him."

Like my dream, my brain whispered. I pictured the nightmare -- the one where I stood, watching, as a cheetah fought against a tiger. As a cheetah lost against a tiger.

I glanced over Zella's shoulder at Coraline.

Does she want me to let Coraline die?

"I'll be around," Zella murmured. "And when the day comes, I will return to give you advice once again. But for now, I have to go."

Coraline and Victoria shared worried looks, but I held up a hand. The two would've tried keeping Zella in Iluita if they could've.

But Zella was like me. She was different, but instead of being a Guardian, she was a wanderer. Someone descended from the first 'next generation' of shapeshifters. After all, the originals had never thought that any other shapeshifters could exist.

But then Zei came along.

And now it was up to Zella.

I saw it in her. The thing that set her apart from everyone else.

And that was why I had to let her go.

I could've pressed her for information about the originals and our history, I knew damn well that her family must hold that information. I could've asked her about her strange advice, or maybe why she wanted to help me so badly.

But at the end of the day, Zella was just another special person doing her own special thing.

And I had to do my own thing, and make my decisions.

Once she was gone, I pushed away from the doorway and strode toward Coraline. The leader met my eyes as I laid a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it.

"We need to attack Orgull," I said firmly, "before they can get more power. They won't expect this, Coraline."

"But--"

"We can't let Xavier teach them all of Iluita's weak points. We can't let Iluita act hostile to everyone who comes from a different compound."

"Katrina--"

"We need to. We need to train and plan. We have shifters from Orgull that can help us. This is our best chance!"

"But what if I don't want to have to kill my childhood friend?!"

Victoria and I flinched as Coraline smacked my hand away. The leader, who was rarely angry, was downright furious. She stormed to the windows, turning her back to us as she slammed her fist into them. They didn't break, surprisingly, and the leader sagged against the cool surface.

"If we go to war, I will end up having to go toe to toe with the man I grew up with, Katrina. The one that blames all of this on me."

Her voice cracked.

"I can't face him. He wants to destroy everything because of me."

"Coraline..."

I can't tell her that I'll take him on for her, because if my dream is correct, she'll be against him no matter what.

But how can I force her to fight someone like him? It's like me trying to kill Tyree.

I could never.

"But... Iluita is on the line. Your people are on the line. The guards in training, the citizens, the masters... I'm on the line, Coraline."

The leader, with red rimmed eyes, finally glanced back.

"Xavier betrayed you," I said softly. "What happened with the leadership... That wasn't betrayal. That was a decision that other people made."

And it was probably hard for them too, I realized. Every time I try to decide something, I feel like the pressure of the entire compound is weighing down on my thoughts.

And I'm not even leader. I'm just some kid.

"But there's no guarantee we can win, Katrina," Coraline protested. She crossed her arms, and even Victoria sighed.

"But she's right," the elite defended. "We know that Xavier will come back. Right now, we're just sitting ducks."

The two of us shared desperate looks before glancing at Coraline. She faced the windows, staring at her beloved compound.

"It's one destroyed friendship or an entire town of people who rely on you, Coraline," I reminded her softly. "But we can't make the decision for you. You need to pick this."

"Just like you pick what to do with your power, right, Katrina?"

I pressed my lips together, her words both an insult and a dry statement.

"I don't have the power to stop you, Katrina," Coraline murmured. "I couldn't if I tried. You're on a different level. You'll do good things for Iluita."

"Thank you," I replied flatly, watching as the leader twisted to face me. Her expression was blank, her hands clenched into fists.

"If Koren will lead the fight, then you may begin to prepare, but I won't take part in this. I will stay in Iluita."

My dream is of a cheetah, fighting in front of this very building. Losing to the tiger, surrounded by other shifters.

If she stays here, then does that mean that Xavier will come sooner than expected?

Either way, I had to try. This was the choice I had made.

"I'll be on my way to find Koren, then..."

Maybe I should've told her I'd dreamt of a future where she fought her old friend.

Maybe I should've waited, or chose differently.

But the events were already set in place, and the pieces were on the board.

Unfortunately.