The Shifters: Katrina

"Katrina, stop!"

The Guardian is gone. Hunters are going to attack an unprotected Iluita.

Whoever tried to kill me must've been the one to help them. Someone doesn't only want to kill me, but also to destroy my new home.

"Katrina, wait!"

I need to save them.

This time, no one dared to stop me. I transformed, ripping through the leather armour I had. A roar ripped through my dragon throat as I launched myself into the air, Victoria taking to the skies beside me. Chloe was soon following after us -- anyone who could fly soared with me. Everyone else began running back to Iluita or to the vehicles -- most of which were hidden underground. Orgull was only six hours away from Iluita by car on a good day -- but I would turn that into three hours by flying, no matter how much I had to push myself.

Betrayal. Loss. Bloodshed.

Today was the day it began.

I could hear people screaming the second I landed on the road outside Iluita, having lost everyone else. Apparently dragons had amazing stamina, because the others had fallen behind long ago. I panted as I hobbled on my two human feet, forcing them forward. My mind raced, my heart pounding. I had to sneak in through an entrance, because if I made the mistake of flying in where they could see me easily, I could get myself killed -- but the forest wasn't on my side today. They must've known that we would rush back; nearly every tree was split in half, creating haphazard barriers. Fire ate away at the plants, water mixing with the dirt to create a swamp. I panted, trying to climb over a stack of broken trunks when I finally felt a hint of despair in my heart.

What if they've already destroyed everything?

Wouldn't it be better if I ran?

My mind flashed to my time in school. The times when I would get into a fight before running away like a coward.

But that wasn't me anymore. I had promised that it wasn't me.

Even against Rowan, I didn't run away. And I wasn't even a dragon back then.

I growled, my fingers digging into the wood. My grip was stronger than I expected, splinters burying themselves in my nails as I heaved my body upward and over the trunks. I landed in a puddle, muddy water splashing up my thighs.

I had to admit that that small victory had given me hope.

But that hope was crushed when I looked up, seeing a sole figure among the wreckage. Their face was hidden by a mask, but their physique looked like a young woman's. A blue band rested around her arm, tied tight.

A shifter from Orgull? One of Xavier's?

"You've got to be kidding me..."

They said nothing, their blue eyes cold and emotionless. I tensed, water swirling around my wrist as I took a hesitant step forward. The second my toes touched the ground, ice flew toward me. I ducked, one hand flicking upward, the other shifter's ice exploding under my control. Gathering her ice, I transformed it back into water, a circle of liquid churning around my waist.

"Who are you?" I demanded. "How long has Xavier known about our plans?"

The figure's eyes widened, but she remained quiet. I snarled, sending a burst of icicles toward her. She dodged them easily, moving with all the grace of a cat.

Unfortunately, the only person I knew of with a cat or wildcat animal form -- that was on Xavier's side -- was Xavier himself. Then there was Dani, a tabby, Aurora, a lioness, Rowan the cheetah, Luke the panther, Coraline, who was another cheetah, Heather, another house cat, my wonderful partner Shae, a panther like Luke, and finally, Talia. The tigress.

This figure before me was female, which ruled out Xavier himself, Rowan and Luke, and blue-eyed, which ruled out some of the other girls. Not to mention they controlled water -- therefore it couldn't be Dani, Aurora, Heather or Coraline.

That meant that it could be Shae or Talia, but that was only if someone that I knew was standing before me.

But if I didn't know them, why hide their voice?

A sinking feeling crept into my gut. Talia, the tigress, the water princess, was from Orgull.

Just because she told us that Xavier was there doesn't mean she didn't tell them that we were coming. She never swore to abandon her home.

But part of me thought she was done with Orgull?

I steeled myself, waving away the water that I controlled. The figure tilted its head, and a single lock of black hair with icy blue dye at the end fell out of her tight hood.

"Talia."

Her eyes widened, her hand brushing back the strand of hair. She growled at me, blinking as if something was in her eye.

"What are you doing?!" I demanded. "What is this?! Did you... Are you with him?"

She shook her head furiously, ripping her hood off now that her cover was blown. Tears streaked her cheeks as she revealed a bruised jaw and a tired expression.

"I couldn't let you destroy Orgull, Katrina," she said desperately. "I thought that if I could stop you, this fight would end in a draw, because I know that if you go in there, Iluita will win no matter what. I can't let my home get ruined, even if I want to see the hunters gone."

I couldn't let you destroy Orgull...

Couldn't let me...

Then why didn't she try to stop me bef--

I felt a pang in my heart as it hit me.

"You."

My hands curled into fists, and I had no control over the frost that began to creep up my arms. Talia winced, her black and blue hair a mess around her face.

"You're the one who tried to kill me! You tried to send me flying off that ice!"

She didn't deny it, instead looking like she shit herself out of fear.

"If you were in the hospital, then the attack would've been delayed! I needed to stop you," she pleaded. "How else could I protect my family?!"

The frost began to turn into a shell of ice, my hands shaking with rage. "Your best solution was to betray Iluita and kill me?!"

Talia shook her head violently, trying to stay tall even with the uneven muddy landscape.

"I'm not the one who told Xavier about your plans," she told me, "you have to believe me on that. It was someone else from Iluita."

I scowled. "Why should I believe you?"

The girl broke down, sniffling. I felt my heart aching, my entire being torn between anger and despair. Talia had been the friend that pushed me to be better -- the one that didn't think of me as amazing just because of my abilities. She had been a grade-A bitch at first, but for good reason. Talia was strong-willed and she made people work for her approval, which made her into the cold, intimidating person she was.

Except I saw none of that now.

All I saw was a traitor, and a girl who looked lost.

But was she still my friend?