Walking In The Shadows

Chapter 6

Ariyah

Why am I fighting?

My feet dug into the grainy sand. The same substance that I had momentarily come in contact with was digging it's way deeper into the tissue and meat. Each movement stung as it sliced slowly, burrowing deeper. I numbed the sensation and carried out my plan.

I don't know her, but was it really about her.

My body felt heavy and weak. Every bone melted to a jelly-like substance that threatened to fall apart. With each inch I covered, I gained distance but my fear increased. 

Why depend on someone so useless?

Normally, Deamon and I tag team in our battles. Today, I was alone, just like every other time.

I couldn't even protect him. Suddenly, thoughts appeared and distracted me. The nightmares were returning.

What are you doing? You are going to die!

The voice, it is back. I thought that the voice had vanished again. Secretly, I was rejoicing in my mind. Completely distracted by my happiness at reconnecting with my companion, a sudden jolt brought me out of my thoughts. My back was hurled into the ground. As I went to get up, the same force that caused the abrupt jerk stood on top of me. The object was a heavy foot which applied enough pressure to knock the wind out of me. Although, the worse part was actually the nails that were digging into my collarbone. Instinctively, I thrashed around trying to through his body off; instead, the pressure and pain increased. He was enjoying this reign of power he had over me.

I went still immediately underneath the hypnotizing beast, understanding that I was clearly at a disadvantage. There was something different about looking into the eyes of this creature compared to Parker's. Looking straight into its eyes proved to be the worse idea I could have come up with, I was challenging him for dominance. Fur covered my body and diminished any sense of cold that could have swept over my skin, but it was not my own. This creature was not Parker anymore and did not growl, he simply clamped his large strong jaws onto my neck. To begin with, it was not enough to break the skin but to enforce me to remain still. When I tried to break free of his grasp, I could feel my body being exposed with every second that his fangs clenched tighter to keep me under control. 

Suddenly, with no control what so ever, my body froze. I could not move an arm or even a finger. There was no electrical impulse to direct any commands to my body. I was simply limp. A sudden fire exploded into my shoulder that had me remembering the night so long ago. The resemblance of molten lava streamed through my veins, setting a course to fill each part of this broken physique. I felt soiled and humiliated.  

He still stood over me keeping my body pressed against the cold hard ground. My skin molded around the misshaped Earth. All I wanted to do was shove him off and curl up in pain, but that would mean to submit to him and pronounce myself as the weaker one. That outcome was one that I refused to subject myself to. Such circumstances would lead to my downfall. I ignored every stinging needle that stabbed and the heat he laid on me.

While he was distracted by his triumph, I used the chance to twist my body. In the process, I coiled my arms around the paw that was digging into my chest. His body became unsteady and when he fell, a series of whimpering escaped. Not sure why, but I suspected that if his front right paw was not broken, then it was severely twisted. I watched him nuzzle it gently as I felt relieved to have control again.

I attempted to stand, but my legs shook and I fell to my hands and knees. "What.. did you.. do.. to me?" Barely able to form a coherent sentence as I continued to fall to the ground until I was laying flat.

Out of the corner of my eyes, I watched as his body became the boy I was familiar with. His friends rushed to him with clothes as he was naked when he returned to his once familiar form. The only difference was, he looked at me in surprise and fear.

He is like everyone. They all give me that look, they are all the same.

The pain was getting harder to ignore. As my body willed, my arms wrapped around my legs and curled to relax and attempt to rid the pain. The agony as my bones broke and mended themselves made me want to scream. However, any attempt at making a sound was thwarted, because the vocal chords in my throat were tearing and reforming. Sweat dribbled down my skin as my body became hotter by the second. I could feel the bones in my face contort and elongate as they formed a muzzle. Even my teeth sharpened and stretched.

You would think that the pituitary gland would be shooting out endorphins to release as much of the pain as possible. No, if the gland was doing anything, it was completely useless. As if on cue, the pain abruptly vanished. I stood up with ease and looked around. This moment of feeling peace and tranquil barely lasted as once again my entire shape reformed.

We finally meet Lady Ariyah. I am pleased to no longer be a voice, but your companion, your wolf, Kerala.

"Kerala." The sound was raspy. As I looked around, I found that I was no longer a two legged person, but a four legged wolf just as Parker was. Instinctly, I looked at him and sneered. "You," I tried to shout, instead it came out as a growl.

Black, everything lost color and faded to black.

AN:

Hello, cuties.
I'm back safely in Tennessee. The dinner party Saturday was a success and fun. The Newsboys Concert was stunning. They sure know how to put on a show.

However, why did her wolf refer to her as "Lady" Ariyah?

#Edited