Good, Evil, and the Gray Area (FIRST DRAFT)

Chapter 46

I opened my eyes, startled. What had woken me up? Then I heard it again. The crunching sound of many footsteps in the snow. My eyes widened. Where was I? Why was I here? 

I reached a hand to my neck, feeling a crusted-over gouge. Then, to my bicep, where there was another long, scabbed cut. Finally, to my calf, where there was an open burn oozing gooey yellow liquid. 

I had to have been in a battle somewhere, because there was nowhere else I would sustain such wounds. Especially the burn, as I was fireproof. 

The footsteps were getting louder. I tried to stand, but had to dizzily cling to the tree for support. 

"Who's there?" I asked, then cursed myself for making my presence known. They could be hunting for me to kill me.

Where was I? I thought, extremely confused. The last thing I remembered...

Going with Achen. The bullet wound. The wizard. The frozen army. The un-frozen army. Killing. Being wounded. Achen... dead. Ava... captured. Me... useless. 

My eyes widened with the revelation, and I stumbled forward, trying to run but unable to. My hand moved to my side, and I gasped with the familiar pain of broken ribs. 

It was dark out, but the moon was bright reflecting off the snow, so I could see. The footsteps sounded close, but I could not yet see anyone in the gloom between the trees. 

I have to go, I thought. I have to find Ava. 

The footsteps were even closer, and I could see movement amoung the trees. 

Which way was the clearing? I shook my head, clearing my thoughts, and remembered that it was right toward the people... or whatever they were. 

I stumbled forward, knowing I would have to morph. I dropped to all fours, knowing as well that it would be very painful. I chose a cat I could run well as on the snow, that would blend in, and that I could fight as a little. A lynx. It would not be out of place, and if the people didn't know who I was I could walk right under their noses and they wouldn't recognize me as a humen. Hopefully. 

I drew upon that power, imagining myself as a beautiful, fluffy lynx with those cute little tufts of hair on my ears. I closed my eyes, readying myself for the pain. 

It came, searing through my chest, focusing on my ribs and leg. I grimaced, trying to stay as still as possible on the ground. I couldn't see- bright spears of light were shooting across my vision. I didn't know where the people were- whoever they were. 

I rolled over onto my back, breathing heavily, feeling my legs and arms shortening to the same length and the fur springing from my pores. 

I could still hear, and the footsteps were getting closer. Thump, thump, thump. Synchronized. It had to be an army. 

My hands and feet grew into paws, claws snicking out of my fingertips. This morph was taking far too long. 

My ribs burned with a fire that wasn't natural. I resisted the urge to scream. 

"What's this?" I heard a high female voice say. I froze, twisting to look at her, my body half morphed.

"Is she... one of us?" a man's voice replied. I continued to morph, finally completing it, the fire extinguished. 

I stood, and snarled viciously at the woman. She smiled tightly at me. Then, I ran. 

"Where do you think you're going?" she said, grasping my tail. I ripped it from her grasp, thinking about morphing again into a faster cat, but was afraid to.

I turned, biting at her hand. Her nails were long, and sharpened, painted black. I recoiled, running away once again. 

"If you know what's good for you, you will stay right there," she snarled, showing pointed canines. I slowed to a stop, propelled by some unseen force. How was she controlling me? I resisted, digging in my heels, but my legs kept pushing me toward her. I yipped out a meow, trying to turn, but I couldn't. 

"That's right, little lynx, come here," she said. With a stabbing pain in my head, I ripped it away from her, breaking eye contact with here dark red eyes. I turned, the power suddenly and inexplicably released, and ran for my life. 

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sorry it's short... will write more soon. 

wren