The Shifters: Katrina

My footsteps echoed loudly on the first floor of the main building in Iluita, no one in sight. Everyone was either fighting or hiding, which meant that the only people here were Coraline and Sonya. Coraline because she was hiding -- Sonya because she was hunting the leader.

I would just have to complete my hunt quicker than Sonya could do hers.

My ballerina training kicked in as I slid toward the staircase, taking the steps as slowly as possible. My fists were clenched, frost climbing up my arms to create an icy shield.

I reached Coraline's office, hovering outside the door. I could hear someone inside, drumming their fingernails against the desk.

How much do I want to bet that that's not Coraline?

Holding my breath, I whirled around the corner, skidding across the floor as I slid into the office. Sonya sat on the desk, bruised all over from our fight, her white hair in disarray. The panda lifted her eyes to meet mine with a glare, a green glow slowly building up on her arms as the building shook.

"Where'd you hide her?" Sonya demanded. "This will all be over if you just give us this compound."

"Like hell I will," I snarled. "My friends are dead because of this. I could never surrender."

Hatred, pure and unfiltered, flashed through her eyes. Sonya and I were enemies that had once been friends -- but I saw no resemblance between her and the girl I met when I first came to this shapeshifter town.

"Fine. I'll kill you, then, and maybe that will bring that coward out from hiding."

I bared my teeth, planting my feet. "I'm not easy to kill, Sonya."

She flicked a strand of hair over her shoulder, extending her opposite hand toward me, palm facing down.

"We'll see about that."

The second her words hit me, I was moving. I threw myself to the side as a spike of rock shot through the building -- and we weren't even on ground level. My teeth scraped against each other as fire danced from my fingers, shooting toward the other shifter. She moved just in time, my fire eating away at Coraline's desk instead of burning the other girl. It took all of Sonya's concentration to make her monstrous spikes of rocks, which meant that she had to keep moving as she sent spike after spike shooting through the floors. I weaved through them like it was a dance, slowly getting closer to her. Ice began to form on my arms and legs, creating small layers of armour.

I finally got close enough to hit Sonya, the other shifter scowling as I collided with her. She skidded back from the sheer force of a single punch, glaring at me from behind her arms which were protecting her already-bruised face.

"Come and play my game, Katrina," Sonya taunted. "Otherwise you'll never catch me."

Says the girl who got punched.

Still, I couldn't get cocky. Sonya broke into a sprint, taking the stairs three at a time. She fled Coraline's office, disappearing upstairs.

The roof.

But I don't remember her in my dream...

Curiosity paired with the fact that I needed to catch Sonya drove me forward. I ran, panting as I pushed myself up and up, going higher in the building than I ever had before. I could hear Sonya's haunting laughter as I finally reached the top, throwing open the door to the rooftop. There wasn't a single thing between the edge of the roof and the open air, wind whipping our clothes and hair around in pure insanity.

I was on the rooftop, but Kami was nowhere to be seen. Neither was a tiger, and when I glanced down below, I could see Nathan fighting with a lively passion.

Maybe it won't come true.

"Are you distracted, Katrina?"

I ducked under a punch. "Never."

Sonya groaned as I slammed my shoulder into her gut, sending her to the ground. She grabbed my shirt as she fell, bringing me down with her. Sonya rolled as I fell, trying to get the upper hand as we grappled on the roof. I snarled, grabbing a fistful of her hair and tossing her away from me.

"You don't have any followers to save you from me," I snapped. "You won't survive this, Sonya."

I got to my feet, fire burning up my arms. It didn't burn away my armour of ice, showing off how well I'd learned to control my abilities. Sonya knelt on the roof, blood dripping from the side of her mouth as she glared at me.

"Could you really kill me, Katrina?"

A cold, uncaring mindset slid over me. It was familiar -- it was the instincts of a dragon.

The rhino's bleeding form popped into mind, my eyes unfocused as I replied to her.

"You wouldn't be the first shifter I've killed today."

Suddenly, chunks of roof were ripped from the smooth surface, flying toward me. I dodged most of them, slamming my palm through the ones I couldn't move out of the way of. Sonya panted as she attacked me, trying her best to kill me in one shot.

My turn.

Fire spewed from my hands, scorching the ground around her. It burned her arms, making her lose her focus. I grinned, flying toward her, ice building up around my fist. Sonya gasped as gauntlet of pure frozen water smashed into her face, sending her flying.

The girl's figure hit the roof, sliding across it. She coughed, spitting out a mixture of saliva and blood.

Before my eyes, she shifted, an angry panda bear turning to face me. I back pedaled, only for her to split the roof underneath my feet. She pounced as I fell, hitting the cracked surface with a thud. The panda landed on my chest, jaws snapping forward. I had to sacrifice my arms, keeping them above my jugular. Sonya was practically chewing on them, one of her feet digging into my side. I cried out in pain, blood dripping onto my face as she practically pinned me to the roof.

That hurts. Oh god, it hurts.

As someone who wasn't used to being on the bottom, this was new to me. I began to fight, thrashing underneath the bear.

Then, her jaws clamped down on my shoulder.

Fiery pain had me screaming, fire exploding out from my skin. My armour melted, wafting off of me. It began to mingle with my fire, the frost swirling through the flames.

I gritted my teeth, nearly biting my lip.

This hurts. I don't want to be fighting her. I don't want to lose anybody else.

I'm bleeding. Oh, I'm bruised, too...

I thought I was supposed to be strong.

She grinded her teeth into my skin.

My mouth fell open as I gaped, unable to scream.

I think I'm losing. What do I do?

My head fell to the side as I tried to push her back, hitting her fluffy body. Nothing made her budge -- not even fire or ice.

My eyes rested on my two apprentice bands, the red and blue overlapping. Upon seeing them, my mind flashed to the morning in the forest.

If only one doesn't work, then maybe two will?

I glanced at the fire coating my body, and the layer of frost being burned away. Bubbles of water floated in the flames instead of evaporating, as if waiting for something.

My focus became absolute. I felt hatred, anger and pain -- but also the need to protect Iluita and the people that were still left.

And to avenge those that were no longer with us.

The pain washed away as I forced myself to focus. The elements dancing around my skin began to mix, responding to my hateful determination.

It was when she bit down on my shoulder once again that I let the new element free.

Blue, icy fire shot from my fingers, blasting the black and white bear away from me. Not only did the ice fire burn, but it left Sonya with a chill and cracking skin that began to bleed.

My own warm blood dripped down from my arms as I forced myself to my feet, ignoring the slick feeling on my skin. With a trembling body, I lifted my hands, pointing them at Sonya.

"You don't get my struggles, Katrina."

...Perhaps I never will.

It all happened in slow motion; blue fire shooting from my fingers, zooming toward the other shifter. I watched in frustration as she ducked out of the way, only to shift back into her human form. I gasped as she tackled me, both of us landing just next to the edge. Sonya straddled my waist, raising her hand for a punch, but I had finally had enough of this fight.

Maybe it had been on purpose. Maybe it was an accident.

All I know is that I was the one to lift my legs, my hands on her shoulders, and push upward with all my might.

I was the one who shoved her off me...

...And off the roof.