The Shifters: Katrina

Xavier wasted no time. He pounced, claws digging into my shoulders as his weight sent me crashing to the ground. I pulled my strength into my fist, punching him in the jaw. As I did that, ice materialized behind us, blocking off my friends. With them a little safer, the flames along my arm shot outward, hitting Xavier's stomach. One thing I forgot, however, was that he used fire as well. The flames could do nothing to him, dying away before they hit his skin.

This is like fighting Rowan all over again, except the stakes are higher and we're both more skilled than Rowan and I had been back then.

I brought my knee up, hitting the tiger's soft stomach. He nearly retched from the hit, and I used the distraction to shove him off. Blood poured from my shoulders, and I counted five deep claws wounds in total. Still, I could use my arms, and therefore I'd be fine.

You won't win this as a human, Katrina, Xavier sneered.

"And you won't win either way."

The tiger tilted its head. And why won't I?

"There's more people loyal to Coraline than to you."

Maybe in Iluita, he agreed, but in the outside world... I am top dog. Or top cat, I suppose.

I glared at him. My mind was working overwtime. I couldn't use fire against him, and I didn't know how long it would take me to shift. Even if I was a dragon, my movement skills couldn't be trusted these days, and I could accidentally hurt my friends with the larger body if I wasn't cautious.

No. I had to last as a human. I was capable in this body, and I had my water. It would have to do against the elite.

Well, I thought, my situation is bleak. But it can only get so bad, right?

With a groan, I shook off my red glow. Returned to the calm mindset that was water, the soothing blue glow spreading to both arms and my chest, like a shirt. Water began to spill from my hands, dripping off my fingers. It collected at my feet, swirling and responding to my thoughts.

Your power, the tiger purred, is impressive. Run away, Katrina. You will be found when you are needed, and spared the horror of what is coming for Coraline's little empire.

My teeth clenched, and I hissed. "I am here to defend my friends. Don't test me, Xavier."

Then are you ready to die, Katrina? I highly doubt you're worth the trouble.

"No," I confessed, my voice breaking, "I'm not ready to die."

My shoulders ached, my resolve strengthening.

"But I will bleed, and bruise, and cry if I need to," I finished.

The tiger kicked up dirt with its back feet. Very well, Katrina, Xavier sighed mentally. He charged, knocking me into the wall of ice. I barely kept my head from slamming backward, managing to coat my torso in ice before Xavier could cut through it.

My eyes fell shut, stars dancing across my vision.

Then, a finger tapped my nose.

My eyes shot open, focusing on the man that only wore shorts in front of me. It was Xavier, in all his bright haired glory, a glow of red covering his torso.

"Why don't we fight fair, you brat?"

His blue eyes were vibrant, his spiky hair falling into his face. He didn't seem angry, but he was threatening. I could tell that he was interested in the power I held and in the fight that was going on, but I wasn't important enough for my life to mean too much. No, Xavier would kill me if he needed to.

But in the end, I couldn't kill him.

I wouldn't.

But I'll protect my family. Even if I'm not too sure who that family is anymore.

"Gladly," I growled, an icicle shooting from my hand. It kept growing, speeding towars Xavier's shoulder. He bounced backward, my feet hitting the ground with a thud. The tiger was lethal and agile, his movements calculated and direct.

When facing a larger, stronger opponent, M. Crim's voice echoed in my mind, his words a memory from an old lesson, sometimes all you can do is use your element. A mouse will never beat a crocodile without extra power.

In this situation, I was definitely the mouse. My water was the extra power I needed to take down this crocodile, or at least survive the encounter.

Fire was spreading around Xavier, circling his body. It rose like a barrier, heat pouring off his. Frost crawled along my skin for protection. Fire may have been my strange, extra power, but water was something I used from the beginning. It was the first break through I'd ever heard, the first confirmation that I was one of them. Besides the giant tree, of course.

Once my shell of frost was in place, I charged toward Xavier, my hands coated in tiny spikes of ice. His wall of fire couldn't even touch me as I jumped through, landing in front of him with my fists swinging. The guard was experienced in fighting, which added to my list of disadvantages. My long list of disadvantages. He blocked my punch, giving me a kick to the gut instead. I coughed, barely catching myself before I fell. His fist was already flying at my face, and I cowered behind my arms. I felt the pressure of his strike on my forearms, but not the pain. A surprised gasp left my mouth as I saw a layer of ice coating my skin. It returned to frost when Xavier's fist left my arm.

A mobile shield.

The tiger shifter's eyes widened as I flew at him, aiming a kick at his side. I was using my dragon's speed, blurring toward him. He groaned as my foot connected with his side, forcing him to stumble. When he tried to return the hit, my side froze for protection.

"Damn it," he cursed. "You little shit."

I said nothing, my spiked fist shooting for his face. It connected with a sickening crunch, blood spewing from his nose.

Xavier winced, but when he opened his eyes, they only held hatred. The flames around us roared, flying for me. I barely had enough time to enable my red glow, my own bubble of flames forming around me. The two fires bounced off each other, blurring my vision.

The elite man didn't flinch when he passed through my bubble, knocking me to the ground. He knocked me into his own flames, holding me down as I tried to scream in pain.

"Guard, Katrina."

Guard? What the frickity-frackity does that mean?

The tiger shifter sighed. "Remember me, brat. We'll be back."

I choked on smoke and pain, clawing at him. He sat on my stomach, immune to his own fire.

"Very well," he shrugged, as if I was actually responding to him, "Sonya!"

The traitor appeared in a flash, creating her own personal tunnel beside me. Her head popped out, surveying the scene around us.

"Yes?"

"Time to go," Xavier told her. "Are we ready?"

She nodded. My vision was blackening, and my arms and legs were feeling the pain of being charred. Xavier gave me one last once-over before the flames around us died. I thought he was just going to disappear into Sonya's tunnel, but he after he jumped in, he held onto the edge and leaned toward me one last time.

A smile, a genuinely sadistic smile, spread across his face.

Then something hard connected with my temple and I was out.