The Shifters: Katrina

In the morning, I was woken by a knock on my door. I opened it to see a blonde girl standing there, but she was at least from my compound.

"Uh, Alisa?"

Her expression was bordering on timid as she smiled. "Coraline needs you to visit her. She'll give you breakfast, you're needed for a meeting."

My eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. Alisa stood there with the door wide open as I ran to my bathroom and showered. Once I was out, I noticed all the new clothes I'd never actually tried on. Considering I'd never been to a meeting, I guessed the attire was business casual, whatever that meant. Alisa didn't budge as I threw on black leggings and a nice-looking pink blouse. Following that was brown ankle boots and a thin silver necklace with a gem for a charm. Alisa had wandered in by the time I was wrestling with my wet hair, trying to get the knots out.

"Do you need help?"

I flinched, turning around to look at her. Her hair was in braids as usual, expertly done.

"Don't worry," she waved me off, "I won't make us twins. I can do more than a braid."

Her gesture made me smile and sit on the edge of my bed. It felt nice to do something so casual. Something Mia would've done. Alisa gently took my hairbrush and worked her way through the tangles, making me feel like we weren't a part of a shapeshifting race. It felt like we were teenage girls at a slumber party.

"There. We have a nice half-up, half-down," she announced. The cobra girl made her way to the door while I grabbed a key to my room.

"Hey."

Alisa looked back curiously.

"Thanks," I told her. "And hey, did you do any duels?"

She nodded. "Animal duels. A cobra is quick and pretty strong. I fought with a tiger from Orgull. She won, but it was close."

With a final smile, she was gone. People had mentioned that Alisa was strong, but I hadn't thought twice about her until now. On the other hand, she was the first one around my age to come see me, though she may have just been here on Coraline's orders. Either way, it seemed like the strong ones were the only ones brave enough.

It wasn't long until I was sliding down the banister, the fire apprentice bands shoved into my pocket. Other students glanced my way, some of them recognizing me as the girl from this morning or as Katrina in general. They watched as I strolled by, not bothering with their stares. Coraline's building was swarming with shifters, some with the slight scent of Iluita, others with Ileial scents or what I was assuming to be other compounds.

"Katrina."

I turned to see Dani and Koren waiting for me at the staircase. They cocked their heads, motioning for me to follow. We went up a few floors higher this time, where a hallway sat with only three doors. One lone door was on the left side of the hallway, which just so happened to be where Koren was headed. He led the two of us inside where there was a large circular table. There were plenty of leftover seats, but there was still a good chunk filled. Coraline was among them, looking regal in her black dress top and skirt.

"That's the last of them. We can start this meeting."

I noted down those I recognized. The elites, assistants of Coraline, and the masters. Everyone else seemed to be from different compounds. Seats were left open, some near the elites, beside Dani, next to Willa, and there was a particular chunk of seven left open. I sat down on the fourth, as far from everyone as possible.

"Can I ask why I'm here?" I said, trying to smoothen my tone in something resembling being polite.

Coraline sighed. "As possibly the strongest shifter alive, and probably the strongest in this compound, you have a right to be here. That, and what we discuss may be important for you."

I nodded. Alright. I'll take that.

Seeing my compliance, Coraline glanced at the elite guards. "Koren, your report?"

He nodded, shifting forward and leaning his elbows on the table. The wolf man was definitely confident and had the aura that demanded respect when needed. "Recently, hunter activites have been through the roof. They're attacking anyone they can get their hands on -- even as close as to people getting in and out of compounds."

A child I'd never seen piped up. "My name is Anna. I'm a shifter student from Orgull who is here for the duels and has been requested to represent my compound," she announced. She couldn't have been more than thirteen. "All I have been told to say is that we have had hunters patrolling our borders trying to snag a few of the younger shifters. Also, the leader of my compound asks that a written report is delivered to her room tonight."

What leader is too busy for a meeting with our leader? From the sounds of it, they're in town.

"Thank you, Anna," Coraline nodded. Her eyes passed to another unfamiliar girl. "Ms. Whyte?"

The girl was older than Anna for sure, a green band wrapped tightly around her upper arm. Her hair was dirty blonde, her eyes were blue from what I could tell, and she had a calm, wistful presence. Not only that, but a book laid on the table in front of her. "Just Chloe, please. Odanost has been mostly peaceful, except we have been unable to recruit any more shifters in the past four months. All of them have gone missing."

Other compound representatives gave their statements, one of Coraline's assistants taking notes, while I only barely paid attention. Eventually they finished, and I had a better grasp of those around me.

"We have one other subject to discuss, right?"

One of the men from Ileial raised his brows at Coraline, waiting for her to introduce the next subject.

The cheetah shifter sighed before her eyes found mine.

"Katrina Roberts. Shifter of Iluita," she announced, "your abilities must be discussed."

Eyes passed my way.

More stares.

The corner of my mouth quirked upward.

"Be my guest."