The New Wolf

Chapter Nine

~Hallucination~

"Come on, Alex! I can see the water from here!" Zack announced excitedly. (In human form)

"Okay, okay, I'm coming!" I smiled as we neared the river. It was a chilly and dimly-lit morning of fall. 

"Hey, what's that?" 

I squinted, trying to see farther in the distance. A white wolf with the same blue eyes as Icy bounded toward the other side of the river. But wherever she went, she left a trail of ice and frost behind her. 

She was not alone, a wolf with the most unmistakable orange eyes and brown-gray fur slid across the magic trail behind her. The ice disappeared under his feet as they passed, and I realized he was melting it! He wore a necklace I hadn't noticed before, a flame hanging on a black chain. 

What does that sign mean? That he is a shape-shifter? No, that's impossible. Shadow said there were not any more humans in existence that could do so. But what if he was never a human, and shifted from another creature? I thought.

Icy went right for the edge of the river. "Icy, no!" I cried out, but I was not heard. 

Instead of Icy falling right off the river bank, she made a trail of ice across it. Sparks flew up around Icy's companion, and I watched as his fur fell away, being replaced with orange feathers. His wolf snout was now a bird's beak, and his eyes seemed to contain fire as he took flight across the water. 

"What is that? Who is he?" I asked Zack. 

"That is a phoenix," he stated in his own realization. 

"A phoenix?" I could not believe I actually saw one.

"Alex, Raven is that you?" Icy stood, beautiful as she always was. 

"Yes, it's great to see you!" I hugged the wolf. 

"I'd like you to meet Ember," Icy pointed with her nose to the phoenix that changed back into a wolf.

"Hi, I'm Alex, but you can call me Raven. And this is Zack, but his wolf name is Riptide," I introduce him. "I see you have gained new powers, Icy."

"I have, thanks to Ember who healed me and made me stronger after Scar's attack," she nodded at Ember. 

I frowned.

"What is the matter?" Icy asked with concern. 

"This isn't real, is it? I'm just dreaming, imagining that this is happening."

Icy smiled, "You're right. This is not happening. But I will see you again soon. Now, follow me." She led me downstream to a waterfall. 

"Jump, and you will awaken," she commanded. 

"Wait, but what does this all mean? How will you see me again soon? Scar...killed you." 

"Now now, all in good time, my friend. Go now."

I looked down and saw the water trailing into a pool at the bottom. "Goodbye, Icy," I said, but I did not understand any of this. Closing my eyes, I pushed off, and gravity pulled me down with it. 

~Hallucination ended~

I raised my head up, barely able to stop myself from seeing double. Shaking my head, I blinked and looked around. The water was much calmer and more shallow down here. After choking on water for a few moments, I took deep breaths and swam to shore. I remembered seeing Icy and Ember in my dream or hallucination. I couldn't decide which one it was. 

What had Icy meant by, "I will see you again soon" and "All in good time"? Is Ember a real creature? Where am I? But most of all, is Icy still alive? My own questions made me dizzy. 

Hope gave me courage. I padded along the unknown grounds in search of someone, anyone. There was a chance that Icy was still alive, and I was going to find her.