The Dragon's Claws

Chapter Ten- We meet another shifter

"The Whisperer?" Fafnir asked, "What, or who, is that?" He said with a tilt of his head.

"Hell if I know," I shrugged. 

Collin narrowed his eyes at me and crossed his arms. "I'm going to assume it's you," his mouth twisted slightly, "Although you do seem a bit dense, so I'm hoping not." I swung around, about to ask what his problem was, when I saw his eyes were glowing green and he wore a smirk. "You do have spirit though, I'll give you that." Sabre scoffed, "I mean, you were about to hit both a shifter and a spirit, neither of which powers you know the full extent of." He grinned and shifted feet, and I had the strangest impression he was coaxing me into a fight or something.

I clenched my jaw and turned around, eager to both avoid a fight and continue our search of the other shifter Collin mentioned. "Let's go. We can worry about what the trees say later." I grimaced inwardly, hoping Collin was exaggerating his warning of the trees, "I want to meet this other shifter you spoke of." Behind me, I felt the nervousness from Fafnir between our link.

"He's not moving. I think he wants to fight you." Fafnir mumbled, "But I don't think a fight would be wise. He does have a point, neither of us knows the true extent of their powers."

I sighed and straightened my face, hoping to look impassive, and slowly turned around to face Sabre/Collin. His eyes had returned to blue, and I let myself sigh softly, thankful that I didn't have to deal with Sabre's cocky attitude. "Are you coming?" I tilted my head in the direction we had been heading before our conversation about the talking trees.

His mouth was thin, but more in thought then anger it seemed. "Fine," he retorted, "but we're not done talking about how you could possibly be the only one to ever exist that can talk to trees."

I grinned and turned around, shrugging. "Hey, I bet it's actually common. It's just the fact that there's a tribe of sensitive men in here." I laughed softly to myself shook my head. "That would scare most people off." Fafnir huffed in his version of a sarcastic laugh and took the lead, Collin coming up right beside me as we started our walk again.

~~~POV change(Fafnir)~~~

I studied the pair, both visually and through my mental link with Alex, and was surprised to find emotions of attraction coming from him. In all our years together I've never seen him fall for anyone, nor have I, but that's what it seemed like was happening. I made a note to keep an eye on Collin, just in case. I studied Collin, trying to learn more about him. He walked straight, but not with a pointed chin, showing confidence without arrogance. As the pair walked, he'd use his hands actively while telling stories, seeming to be at complete ease around Alex. I found that weird, seeing as they had just met, and we did trap him in a net, but I've noticed it happen before. Alex just had that effect on people I guess.

"What are you staring at Faf?" Alex asked smiling, startling me out of thought.

"Oh, nothing. I just happened to glance over at you two as you looked at me." I grinned, showing a rather frightening visual to most, but Alex just laughed.

"Sure you did, bud." He smirked at me, "You're just checking out Collin's smoking body, aren't you?" He joked, making Collin turn red beside him.

"It looks like he'd eat me before he slept with me." Collin laughed, making me chuckle, a deep gruntle sound.

"At this point, it may go either way." I teased, bumping him softly, although still managing to knock him off balance. Alex laughed and punched me in the shoulder. Although I barely felt it, I pretended to crash over like I'd been hit with a rocket. "I've been smitten!" I yelled playfully, "Oh the agony!"

"Stop it you drama queen." Alex laughed again, a pure ringing sound that gave me weird feelings. "You're just fine!" I huffed as I got up and pretended to sulk. "Oh, does the big baby dragon want me to kiss his boo-boo?" He teased, grinning brightly.

"Yes, as a matter of fact. I do." I smirked as he just shook his head and went back to whatever conversation he and Collin had been having when I got caught staring.

"Well, he should be around here somewhere." Collin said after a bit of walking. He cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled. "Yo Bruce! You around?" He turned and smiled at us as we waited. We didn't have to wait long before a blue faced, grey furred wolf came bounding out of the woods.

"How many times do I have to tell you," the wolf said, shifting into a tall, tan male, and smiling as he walked up to Collin, "call me Rigby!"

Collin laughed and shook his head. "Guys, this is Rigby," he smirked, putting extra emphasis on the other's name while patting him on the back.

I noticed the strange color the shifter's hair was, black with tips of lavender and dark blue. 'Humans and their kind do the weirdest things to their hair' I thought to myself, laughing in my head.

"Rigby, this is Alex," Alex gives a little nod and smiles, giving a quick wave, "and Fafnir."

As he gestures to me, Rigby's jaw drops slightly. "He's a dragon." He breathed out, staring at my scales and making me a bit self-conscious.

"Glad to meet you, Rigby." I laughed. "I assume you haven't met very many dragons in your life." He just shook his head slowly, before Collin tapped him on the shoulder.

"Stop staring dude," He snickered, "you're gonna have to get used to it. We'll be traveling together for a bit. You know, if you want to."

Rigby grinned and nodded excitedly. "Hell yeah I wanna come. Sounds adventurous."

I snorted and shook my head while glancing sidelong at Alex. "With us, it may not be so much adventure as it will be trying not to die."

He just laughed and hit Collin on the shoulder. "All the better then, eh?" Collin just replied with a sigh and a shake of his head, smiling.

"Well then," Alex interjected, "shall we go?"

"Uh, where are we going anyways?" Collin asked with a tilt of his head, a gesture that made Alex smile.

"We're..." I paused and thought for a second, then turned to Alex, "Where are we going anyways?"

He smirked and shrugged. "I haven't the slightest." he laughed.

"We're gonna die, aren't we?" Rigby asked smiling.

"Probably."