The Shifters: Katrina

We soon arrived at another entrance to the compound. A strip of muddy earth between two ponds had a strangely circular section in the center. As we approached, I noticed the heat coming from the center. A few inches into the ground was a small circle of flames that never flickered or died. Koren, a shifter with a wolf form and fire, motioned to the fire.

"Shifters with fire can removed the flames temporarily. Below them is a tunnel to the compound. Yes, the flames float midair," he explained. His eyes were locked on mine, probably remembering the night I had asked what it was like to use fire. "We want to prove that the duel wasn't a fluke by letting you open the entrance."

I looked down at the dancing flames, feeling their comforting heat.

I don't want to.

In my distress, my hands glowed blue. Tears pricked at my eyes, and I realize how much I was not okay. I needed time, space, peace and quiet. Instead I was literally jumping into a fiery hole. A familiar pressure built up in my chest. It was not the rage or calculated mindset of a dragon, but the warmth of fire. Molly sucked in a breath as the blue glow became red. My water was filled with calm focus, my fire was determination, and my dragon was the rage I'd always had. Rage that turned itself into useful power.

Without really meaning to, I took hold of the flames and smothered them with a scowl. The other shifters looked uncomfortably into the hole, checking for some sort of trick.

"You really did it..," Dani whispered, voicing everyone's thoughts. Molly was the first to break her trance, jumping through the hole. The others gradually followed until it was just Kami and I, the python staring back at me.

"Katrina..."

I nodded at the hole. "Later. Let's get Dani back."

She said nothing, slipping into the tunnel. I briefly considered running, but found myself too guilty to go back home after all this.

So, with a sigh, I jumped into the volcano.

Coraline was beyond pissed. She was beyond emotions, standing in the center of her office fuming. The elites had told Dani where to find the others from Ileial before sweeping me off to report to the leader. My absence of maximum eight hours wouldn't have been too bad had I not lost all control and shifted into an impossible animal form right before fleeing.

"Haven't seen you in forever," I muttered as we walked in. The elites took their time bowing, but I didn't. Instead, I stripped off my hoodie and watched shifters go about their festival through the windows. It seemed like they recovered from my little stunt, most of them unbothered. Either way, I knew my friends would've caught word of my early return.

"Katrina."

I looked over at Coraline with a hum.

"Care to explain what happened?" She hissed through her clenched jaw.

With a shrug of my shoulders, I told her what I could. "My opponent was a fire apprentice. He had me trapped when suddenly I could use fire too. However, using a second element seemed to hand me my form on a silver platter of pain. That's all I know."

She scowled. "So the water is a ruse?!"

"Nope," I told her, popping the p as I lifted my hands. Like when I was watching myself in the mirror of my room, one hand took on a blue glow with the other's was red. She took this in with a stony expression, watching me carefully as I slipped my hands back in my pockets.

"But Nathan said the water gemstone glowed," Kami pointed out softly from behind us. My expression turned into one of guilty amusement. I chewed on one lip before deciding to admit another thing.

"Yeah... the water gemstone was the third one I touched. Nathan ran off before I even thought of trying the fire one, but I was left to put them all back into the bag they sit in. When I grabbed the fire one to put it away," I paused for effect, winking at Kami over my shoulder, "it glowed."

"You knew?!" She roared. Molly once again stopped her by putting a hand on her arm.

"No," I shrugged. "I didn't know. I didn't know anything at that point. It seemed like a possibility but also a fluke. Plus, I didn't really care."

"You did something unheard of in the history of an entire race and you--"

"Kami."

Coraline's single word effectively cut her off. The elites were silent as the leader of Iluita carefully looked me over. She sighed, regaining her usual soft, calm aura.

"Are you staying here, Katrina?"

The question startled me for a second. "What?"

There was a flicker of sadness in her eyes. "We don't have the power to keep you here if you truly wish to fight your way out. So.

"Are you staying in Iluita?" She repeated.

I looked away, staring at the ground in thought.

Where could I go? Not home. Not to another compound. I'm also underage, it's not like I could actually leave the country either. If I want to survive, I have to stay here.

That was the logical answer. The emotional one was an answer I didn't want to tackle at the moment.

"I can't go anywhere else," I said after a short silence. Coraline looked relieved, rubbing a spotted hand over her face.

"You need training," she muttered, "and lots of it. Fire, water, combat and form. Not only that, but the other compounds are going insane. They know less about the situation than we do."

I wasn't going to fight her on that one.

"Rowan needs an explanation as well. Katrina, you need to be involved in this festival. If you hole up in your room, it'll make people panic and wonder, which isn't what we need."

My job is to have fun, I thought, where people can see me. Interact.

"I'll do that."

"Don't you dare get in a fight," Kami chipped in. Part of me wanted to challenge her there and then, but I knew it was just my frustration talking. She was probably worried and lashing out.

I wonder when I got so sensitive.

"So I'm going to go hang out, I guess," I said, breaking the silence. I leaned back, spinning on my heel with a fun swing to it. The shifters cast me concerned glances as I began to leave the office, losing my sense of respect for the moment.

"Katrina."

I paused on the first step downward, humming.

"Are you alright?"

There was a haunted pause in the room.

Then, I snorted.

My eyes trailed upward, my neck bending as I looked at the ceiling, slowly grinding my teeth together.

"Not really."

There was a sad shift in the room before I turned to look back at her.

"But it isn't you. This will one day be beneath me... probably. I'm just feelin' a little guilty, you know?"

There were horrified looks, and then I was off.