The Shifters: Katrina

A combination. Mingled. Strong.

I sat on the thickest branch of the tallest tree, listening to the sounds of the forest. The winter breeze blew against my bare face, but when I began to shiver, a layer of heat coated me. The world around me was brisk and freezing, but peaceful. It was the perfect place to try what I was doing.

I wanted to see if I could combine my elements into one.

Because the compound was preparing for a war at this point, everyone knew about the plan by now. We wanted to storm Orgull before Orgull could storm us, and while most of the Iluita shifters were on board, those from Orgull were hesitating. I could tell they were nervous, and the four of them were hiding out in their dorms. They hadn't left them in days.

But I had been spending my days working. Training, trying to see what my limits were.

Hence why I was balancing up in a tree, half asleep as I laid against the trunk, fire and water swirling around above my palms.

After making peace with Beth and talking with Willa, I had a better idea of what I wanted to do. I wanted to trust my gut even if it meant going against what Zella, Coraline or anyone else told me.

It meant I was listening to my mother's advice more than theirs.

But she also knew me better. So I went with it.

Gritting my teeth, I willed the fire and water closer together. They swirled around each other the same way they had during class, but there was the same distinct line separating them. It was like they were magnets, but both ends were positive and they were pushing against each other. I groaned, forcing the two together, only for the water to douse the budding flames.

That was even worse than I had expected.

Grimacing, I tried once more. This time, I wrapped the flames around my bubble, getting the two as close as possible. It felt like my conscious was splitting in two, trying to focus on both of them at once. Fire was fierce and wild, which was the polar opposite of water, which was calm and controlled. It turns out that I sucked at multitasking -- at one point I focused too much on wrapping the flames around the water, my bubble growing uncontrollable. The two clashed, a miniature explosion of vapour blowing up in my face, leaving only a cloud behind.

"Wow. That was bad."

I tensed, head whipping to the side.

"Hey, chill, it's just me," a familiar orange-eyed goofball winked. Rowan stood in another tree, one hand against the trunk. "I thought I felt an obscene amount of power coming from around here."

I rolled my eyes. "So you came to investigate?"

He shrugged. "There wasn't many people it could've been, so I came to see you."

"You didn't have to," I told him, getting to my feet. I balanced on the branch, stretching out my back which was sore after having sat in one position for so long. "I'm not lonely or anything."

"It sounds like I need an excuse to come talk to you."

I scoffed. "Yeah, right," I muttered, running my fingers through my frizzy hair. "What are you doing out here?"

Rowan shrugged, his head turning as he scanned the forest around us. The branches looked like a web without their leaves, crossing every which way. It was gorgeous in the winter, despite the cold.

"I was just thinking," he admitted quietly.

I pursed my lips, staring at his side profile. Rowan was handsome, that was obvious, but he was also a good shifter and a loyal person. A little over the top and harsh sometimes, but that was the way he was trained.

"I think we all have been lost in our thoughts," I added, "just a little, at least. Everyone is stressed."

With that, I hopped down from the tree, landing softly as the snow crunched underfoot. White specks dotted my hair, melting against the strands. I shook my head around, feeling droplets hit my skin. Rowan followed suit, landing below his branch with a louder sound. The shifter stretched, his shoulders cracking.

"Has Coraline been helping you with your cheetah form?" I asked, breaking the casual silence. Rowan nodded, wandering toward me.

"She's been focusing on using speed to my advantage, since we're some of the fastest animals," he explained, "but I just trip myself up every time."

"Don't focus on it so much," I suggested, "let it feel natural."

He made a face, hitting my shoulder. "You don't think I've thought of that?"

I stuck my tongue out. "Alright, cheetah boy. How about we race, then? I'll chase you around as a human girl, and you can scamper off. Your goal is to stay on your feet. You should be able to outrun me easily."

"The fact that you're saying it should be easy makes me think it won't be."

I shrugged, hiding a smirk. "Does that mean you're scared?"

Rowan scowled, flipping me off. "No way. Let's do this."

I motioned for him to shift, taking a step back. I had to admit that his shifting was smoother than mine even now, his body slipping into a wild cat's without hesitation. I was jealous, standing back as Rowan balanced on his paws.

The cheetah took off without a single warning, tearing through the trees. I laughed, my legs jolting as adrenaline and power shot through me. My steps sounded like thunder as I stomped through the snow, gaining whatever ground I could. Rowan, who was as graceful and silent as a cat, nearly lost me when he disappeared behind a rock, but I kept on his trail using his scent.

It didn't matter, though. Because the second I spotted him again, Rowan was making a lot of noise.

The clumsy wild cat had tripped, rolling onto one of the frozen lakes. His weight made the thin layer of ice crack, and we made eye contact just as he dropped through into the freezing water. I laughed, doubling over as I cackled like a maniac. Rowan thrashed, one paw on the ice. He tried to push himself back to the surface, only the break the ice more.

Katrina, I'm going to drown or turn into an ice cube. Get your butt over here and save me.

I snickered, carefully taking a step onto the thin ice. I felt weightless as I skipped toward the hole, resting solely on the balls of my feet. My ballerina training kicked in as I kept my footing soft, approaching the hole where Rowan was currently thrashing around like someone who never learned to swim.

"Your knight in shining armour has arrived," I sang, holding my hands out toward him. My palms faced the swirling water, a glow flickering along my fingers. "Hang tight."

No offense, but I'm kind of dying right now.

"You're being ridiculous."

Help!

I snorted, the frozen water slowing rising into the air. The bubble held a thrashing cheetah, and I floated him over to solid ground. Rowan hit the snow with a roar, clinging to firm, reliable dirt. I laughed, twirling across the lake and touching down next to him.

"You owe me one," I sneered, strolling past Rowan with a wave over my shoulder.

I'll make sure to save you from a raging fire next time you get caught in one.

A dark grin crossed my face.

"But I can save myself from that, too."