The Shifters: Katrina

Walking was hard, as it was before. Coraline was surprisingly patient as she helped me stay balanced, her cheetah body fast enough to run around me and prop me up whenever I wobbled. Her head was currently pressed against my front leg, pushing it in the right direction instead of the normal flailing it did. We were walking through the steps of wiggling each individual part of my animal body. Apparently it would all become easier the more I shifted, but for now, I needed to get used to the anatomy of a dragon. I wiggled my toes, separating them and squeezing them, lifting one foot at a time. Then I rolled each ankle, followed by shifting my weight from one leg to another. Afterward she had me try to move my tail, gently hitting it back and forth with her strong, flexible wild cat paws. Her claws were sheathed, thankfully, and soon I had a decent grasp on how to move the strange appendage. Next came the wings, which quivered each time I tensed. We worked on curving them inward and outward, flapping them at different paces, and folding them in comfortably. She climbed up onto my back for this one, resting on my spine as she poked both leathery black wings with a single claw. I stretched my neck and turned my head, each movement more fluid than the last.

Good, Coraline's thought echoed in my mind. I felt better, stronger, faster. Comfortable, even.

She leapt from my back, pacing in front of me. I towered over her, but felt surprisingly powerless in her presence. Coraline was smart, and strong in her own incredible ways. She wasn't a leader for nothing. Wasn't chosen for it out of the other candidates for nothing.

As fluid as water, Coraline turned back into a human woman. She made it look as easy as breathing, her movements elegant and effortless.

"Your movement is good. You'll adjust in no time. Next, we must learn of the functions in this body. We know that you can breathe fire like the dragons of myths because you've done it once already."

My senses are incredible as well, I thought to her. And I have spikes.

With that addition, I flicked my tail. A single thought sent spikes shooting from my nape to the end of my tail. Another thought had them shooting from my jaw and around my face. My forked tongue slipped from my mouth, tasting the air out of pure habit.

"Impressive. Anything else you know?"

I shook my head, horns heavy on the sides of my face.

"We'll explore that later. For now, how about the breathing fire ordeal?"

I nodded, spikes sliding back into my body. Who knows where they were hidden, but if they were out, they could pose a threat to anyone who touched me, even accidentally.

Coraline stood off to the side as I inhaled, feeling warmth boiling up in my long throat. It became as light as air, but as hot as magma. Upon my exhale, a bright stream of fire shot into the air. The harder I blew, the farther it went. The softer, the more spread out the flames became.

"Seems natural enough for you," Coraline admitted. She stepped in front of me, and I instantly swallowed the last flames. "I think I have a plan."

What is it?

"You should shift back for this conversation, Katrina," Coraline murmured ruefully. "So we can work on that first."

I settled onto the ground, waiting for instructions. She frowned, probably unsure of how I could change back.

"My best advice is to reverse your feelings from when you shifted. Either you need to be human again, or you must be calm enough and feel as if the situations resolved. Feel a tranquility deep down, or mimick it."

I nodded my heavy head once again before settling it on my front paws that were outstretched in front of me. My stomach rested on the ground, my back legs bent at my sides. Curling my tail around my body, I shut my eyes and began to calm myself down as if I was going to sleep. The shift came easier this time, a cool sense of peace filling my thoughts before I felt my body shrinking. The shift was quieter, my few experiences already improving my abilities to turn from human to animal and vice versa.

When I opened my eyes, I was sprawled on my stomach on the ground. My hair was tangled and ragged, my body aching from the strain of my first attempt to shift.

"Hey, Katrina," Coraline said as she approached me. Her hands wrapped around my upper arms and she dragged me to my knees. "Are you alright?"

"Just tired," I breathed, wiping away sweat with the back of my arm. "What did you need to tell me?"

She let me catch my breath before laying a hand on my shoulder. The gentle gesture made me look up in uncertainty, meeting her peculiar eyes.

"Coraline?"

A nervous half-smile appeared on her face.

"I want to propose an idea," she began, "that I'm hoping you'll like. Listen, Katrina. You have more potential than even I do. We can't waste that fact, even if you're still rough around the edges."

"I think jagged is a better word."

She silenced me with the look. "You're going to be an adult soon, and a graduate of the academy. That means you'll be assigned a job."

She paused before plowing right through her nervousness.

"Katrina, you'll be the next leader."

My eyes widened, but she didn't stop.

"You're the strongest shifter since the originals. The only reason for you not to be the leader would be if your personality was unfit. That's why I want you to become an apprentice guard. You should learn from the elites so that you can become a perfect candidate. I want you to be my heiress."

I froze, wide eyes staring back at hers like a deer caught in headlights. I wasn't a leader, I was a troublemaker and an outcast. It was who I grew up as.

"You're not serious," I scoffed.

Her expression turned hard. "I'm dead serious. If you get enough training, you'll be the strongest shifter alive."

I shook my head. "I can't lead, Coraline," I insisted. "It's not my thing!"

"It will have to be!" She snapped. "We don't choose to be candidates. We are appointed."

"I won't do it," I insisted fiercely.

"Why. Not."

Silence fell on us. I didn't have an answer to that other than my own panic and doubts.

"It's not an immediate thing, Katrina. It's just more training. Preparation. You will have the time you need to become fit for the job," she assured me. A smile quirked its way onto her face. "Plus, you'll take my place when I retire or die. I'm still young, and I don't plan on dying anytime soon."

That made a shaky, nervous smile appear on my face. My worries subsided, and I was able to make it to my feet. The exhaustion was wearing off, though I wasn't sure if the mental fatigue was as well. My thoughts were clouded, suffering with frustration and confusion.

Take things one step at a time. I can't rush any of this. Forcing things will hurt me, like it does with shifting itself.

I took a calm, slow breath.

"Alright," I said, finally. "I think I can do some guard work."

"Good," Coraline smiled. "I'll arrange for it soon. Try to get rest."

I nodded, taking a few steps to test my physical abilities. I felt worn out, but managed to walk away from my training with a shaky newfound confidence. Coraline trailed behind me, parting ways as she walked into her building and I leaned against the wall beside the doors, saying a quick goodbye while I did my best to catch my breath.

I bent over, hands on my knees while I panted.

"Katrina?"

"What?" I spat, not looking up.

"Hey, easy now."

The voice struck a chord. I glanced up to see Quintin with a lazy smile on his face, his blue band fastened around his arm.

"Tired?" He teased.

I scoffed. "Says the one who sleeps all the time."

He shrugged. "You alright?"

"Bad sleep," I confessed. "Then I spent all my energy in training and messing with people."

"Sounds like you," he replied, offering me a hand. I took it, not in the least surprised when he pulled me off the wall and helped me straighten up.

"Thanks," I sighed, waiting for him to let go of my hand. There was a small delay, but I brushed it off. "What are you doing awake and outside?"

"Extra training since I lost my duel," he grinned, "and you managed to get the drop on me and throw me into some snow."

I winked. "Just a special treat from yours truly."

He rolled his eyes, Quintin's shoulder bumping mine before he offered me a hand back to my dorm. I accepted, walking slowly both out of exhaustion and the want to spend some time with a friend.