Therian Shifters: A Liolf's Mind

Chapter 6: Departure and Introduction:

As Akira and her friends came back from the trip, Akira still felt dazed from the camping trip, feeling exhausted. Her mind foggy of previous events and her body aching all over, she walked up to her room and purposely flopped onto her bed face-first.

As the time turned to 10pm, Akira and Chase had gone up to bed. But as Akira approached her bed, her weakness got the better of her as she fell forward then caught herself by leaning her hands on the bedframe. Shaking her head, she then leant on her mattress as she slowly made her way into her bed, laying on her back and staring up at the ceiling. The room was dark apart from the light of the moon shining through her window.

The air was cold and still, the stars shone brightly, the night felt peaceful, but Akira's mind was not. It contemplated whether she'd get a good night's sleep or not, whether good things would happen the next day. Sighing quietly in an anxious huff, she tried to shut her eyes.

But it was only 30 minutes later that she had rapidly opened her eyes in fright. Another nightmare. Her body had sweated profusely and her covers were scrunched up and half-kicked off the bed. Her silent alarm clock ticked quietly and the crickets chirped softly. Apart from that peaceful ambience, the night was quiet. Her head ached mildly as she sat up swiftly. She looked at her clock. As she did, she quietly sighed in frustration. The clock read 23:45. Afterwards, she finally drifted back to sleep, opening her eyes hourly.

At 7:30 in the morning, she awoke, her eyes heavy and her head light with tiredness. 

As her and Chase got to school, Tyler ran up to them with a shocked expression.

"Guys..." He said. "You won't believe what I've just heard about Mr Riddle..."

Akira and Chase looked confused. What news could be more shocking than the events that took place at the campsite?

Tyler twiddled his thumbs and looked at them sadly. Was it a death? Something he'd done?

"Come on, Tyler! Tell us, for goodness sake!" Chase said with impatience in his tone.

Sighing once more, he spoke. "He... Left."

Akira and Chase gasped. "W-what?!?" Akira blurted out. "But why??"

Tyler shrugged his shoulders. "All Mr Takeshi's told me is that it was personal matters and he had to move away to avert them. He didn't say what they were."

Akira and Chase looked at each other. Realising they'd have to move on, they went on with the day.

As the school day went on, Akira and her friends had their lunch in the Forest Room instead of in the forest area outside. They each had the share of meat Akira's mother packed in Akira's bag. As they had finished eating, Mr Takeshi came over to them. "Well, I'm know that the news about Mr Riddle was upsetting," He said. "But I do have some good news."

The group tilted their heads in unison and confusion. "What is it, sir?" Tyler asked.

Mr Takeshi's expression turned from seriousness to a smile. First making sure the group were focusing on him, he looked at them happily.

"The staff spoke to me before lunch and said that there's going to be a replacement for Mr Riddle. I've met him, and he's very nice." He said with a grin.

Akira, with both excitement and nervousness, nodded in acknowledgement and followed her friends to lesson. As they made their way to Maths, Akira and her friends chatted about the new staff member replacing Mr Riddle, the same clamouring that happened when Kody had joined the group.

As the group split, Akira, Shade, Chase and Tyler all went into their Maths class. The lesson was long and Akira couldn't concentrate. She zoned out in the class, worrying about what the new staff member would be like. Nice? Horrible? Patient? Strict? She was so deep in thought, she didn't take anything in the teacher was saying, and before she knew it the bell had rung to signify the end of the school day.

Akira and Chase then joined each other to Akira's father's car.

"So, how did today go, guys?" He said.

Chase answered, talking about what Mr Takeshi said about Mr Riddle leaving. After the ride home, Akira ran upstairs once again straight for her bed. The days were just becoming more and more exhausting for herself mentally. But as the next day came, Akira felt nervous and sick to her stomach with anxiousness. She had so many questions about this new staff member, but didn't have the social strength to ask them.

As they all entered the Forest Room, Akira was relieved to see just Mr Takeshi in there. But the one thing that stood out was that their table had been temporarily moved to the middle of the room. Everything else was in its usual places.

"Right, he, the new staff member, should be coming in at around lunchtime," Mr Takeshi stated. "Akira, I'll speak to you once everyone else has gone to their lessons, alright?"

Once everyone had gone, Mr Takeshi guided Akira to his desk. He brought out a small A5 notebook. It had a plastic-like, smooth, paperback cover.

"What's this for?" Akira asked with curiosity in her tone.

"This is for your communication," He said. "I'm aware that you go mute around new people, so I've prepared you. If you want to speak to him, our new staff member, then you can write what you want to say in this notebook, ok?"

Akira nodded. She felt so relieved that Mr Takeshi had planned ahead for something like this.

As lunchtime approached, Akira and her friends were in their English lesson with Mr Furlow. As Chase, Tyler, and Akira finished their work, Mr Takeshi was at the door.

"Hiya, sir. Just going to take Chase, Tyler and Akira a few minutes early, is that ok?"

As Mr Furlow nodded, the three of them followed Mr Takeshi as he gathered the others. As they made it to the Forest Room, they saw a man in there they had never seen before.

As they sat down, Akira felt her nerves kicking in.

"Ok, guys. Meet Mr Moore."