The Shifters: Katrina

You can't change at will yet? Came the gorilla's snarky response. I swatted at her, careful not to actually hurt her with the scary talons on the end of my feet. Every movement, every muscle; they oozed pure power. I bent my long neck, sniffing the gorilla's side. It was definitely Tyree.

No, I answered. But I can do this.

I inhaled slowly, lifting my scaled face to the sky. Upon my exhale, fire blew from my mouth, not even bothering my forked tongue. At the same time, I had a blue glow around my four legs, and a sheet of ice hovered in the air, acting as a target for my fiery breath. People below us, clueless people, were equally awed and horrified as I melted the ice away before finally taking another breath.

Pretty cool, huh?

Badass, the gorilla confirmed. So does that mean you aren't leaving? It looked like you ran away for good.

I sighed, exhaling smoke and sparks. I'm staying here.

Awesome, she thought. I watched as the gorilla's skin began to move, bones breaking and reforming as the fur retracted and the beast shrunk. In its place was Tyree, wearing a regular t-shirt in the shifter-safe fabric with shorts. Somehow, her cat-eye eyeliner was still perfect.

"You're stuck, aren't you?"

I nodded my heavy head, horns feeling like weights attached to my temples.

Tyree turned toward Coraline and the gathered shifters that had been in our meeting.

"You need her?"

"Well, we should talk about her training and rules--"

Luke, an earth apprentice from one of the other compounds -- I wasn't sure which one -- waved away their worries. "Why don't the leaders talk it over while everyone else enjoys the festival? The dragon isn't going to kill anybody in the meantime."

Tyree nodded along with his words. "We'll keep an eye on her. Everyone's dying to know what happened," she said, meaning our friend group. Coraline pursed her lips, looking at the others from the meeting. If I knew her well at all, then I knew for sure that she was already onboard with this plan.

"If Coraline permits this," one of the men said, "then we'll agree."

The cheetah shifter sighed. "Go. Visit your friends. But Katrina must also speak with some of the shifters your age from other compounds. Tyree, you've already met a few. Alisa, one of our own, will know who I'm talking about."

The gorilla nodded. "She'll say hi to all of our friends and then we'll go hang out with the visitors. Got it."

The adults waved us off, disappearing back into Coraline's building. A few of the young representatives from other compounds hesitated, floundering outside the building. Tyree and I were preoccupied with making sure I could balance and walk with four feet. It was taking me an embarrassing amount of time to figure it all out.

"Hey."

Both of us craned our necks. Luke was standing beside my back leg, watching in amusement.

"What?" Tyree replied, leaning in my front leg. I snorted, wings quivering. Somehow, I'd learned how to fold them to my sides and extend them quicker than how to walk.

"Luke Morgan," he said, sauntering over to my friend. Her red band on her arm shifted as she tensed, glaring at him. "I'm a panther from Ileial. Since you have to spend time with us festival goers, can I tag along?"

He glanced up at me as he said it. I had nothing against him, since he'd gotten me out of the meeting and even helped me shift, but I had to admit he was quirky and confused me on occasion. Not only that, but he was a panther and an apprentice. That meant he was strong, and could be stronger than some of my friends.

Before I could follow that train of thought any further, Luke smiled up at me.

"No harm will come to anyone -- no harm from me, that is."

Tyree shrugged, her eyes meeting mine. "Well?"

I don't mind, I thought, directing it at the both of them. Then I took the time to give Luke a deadly glare. But if you hurt one of them...

"You'll eat me?" He mocked.

No. I'll tear you limb from limb with my bare hands, I threatened, as a teenage girl who's probably shorter than you.

"Noted."

With that, Tyree took off, Luke running after her. I did my best to not squash anything while I trotted along, still a little clumsy. After a while of walking, I finally got the hang of basic movement again. My balance was easier once I found the new center of gravity, which was in the middle of all my legs, at least which was what I thought. Each leg held plenty of stamina, endurance and power, and I could feel it every time I took another step. The wild part, probably belonging to the dragon form inside me, desperately wanted to run, fly, or even fight. It was a constant longing, but I was sane enough to bury it down and remain at a slow pace while following the two human-form shifters.

"Hey, Katrina..."

My head, which was tilted forward, snapped up at the sound of my name. Tyree was pointing at the street in front of the girl's dormitory. There, my friends, both from school in general and the water shifters' ranks, were milling around, waiting for something. Sonya was the first to freeze at the sight of me, hitting the arm of Antonio who stood beside her. One by one, the shifters turned to look at me. They took one look at my form and I saw it in their eyes as they recognized the rumors were true.

"Kat... Katrina?!"

I wiggled, kicking the ground with my foot. My talons scraped four lines along the stone, and I spat sparks as I nearly laughed -- which was impossible as a dragon.

"It's her alright. Water, fire, and one badass black dragon," Tyree announced. I was swarmed by small humans, my friends patting my front legs. The scales must've been smooth since they marveled at them.

"Incredible!" Gene muttered. "I didn't think it was possible even when I saw it with my own eyes!"

Hi, guys, I thought. Most of them got it, some of them surprised I had a grip on communication.

"Wait, who the hell is this?"

Luke froze. Quintin had turned to him with a glare, his right brow raised unhappily.

"Luke. I'm from Ileial. I followed these two here because our little dragon friend has to interact with kids from all the compounds once she's visited you guys."

Quintin scowled. "She isn't even human. Why the hell does she have to meet with people right now?"

Luke held up his hands. "I'm just the messenger! Coraline's orders," he blurted, trying to save his own skin.

Quintin. It's alright, I'll just--

My telepathic thoughts cut off, almost like a switch was flipped. Something hurt in the base of my spine and I crouched, shaking my head violently. Tyree ushered everyone back, except Luke. He ran forward, poking my scaled forehead.

"Dragon girlie, what's wrong with you now?"

I nipped at his legs. Back... Back off.

"Oh! You're turning back. I get it now."

He turned to look at my friends. "She's just shifting again. It probably hurts considering the last time she would've just passed out."

He winked at Quintin. "Looks like she'll be human."

Quintin's scowl was the last thing I saw with my razor-sharp dragon vision. Bones cracked, the sickening sound echoing through my head as scales, horns and spikes retracted, legs shifted around, the tail disappeared, and I blinked once again with human eyes. The shifter's bodysuit was all that was covering me, my shoes gone as well. My hair was in wild curls that were worse than the natural ones, my eyes blue once again. I didn't know how, but I had a strong feeling they also changed colour along with everything else.

"How do you feel?"

I looked up, feeling surprisingly balanced and natural as I cautiously shifted my weight from one foot to another.

"I'm fine," I responded, my voice a comforting reminder that I was still me. Still human at the end of the day.

"Awesome!" Cory grinned. "Now we can actually talk!"

I looked around, seeing familiar faces in focus. Gene, Shae, Cory, Quintin, Tyree, Antonio, Ben, Sonya, Luke, and hell even Alisa. Ten smiling faces with their attention on me as a flicker of blue and red glow appeared around my hands. The colour disappeared as my nausea cleared, my breath evening out. I was free from adults and the guards, and I was among my friends.

I smiled back.