Dyrin

Chapter 3: The Shapeshifter

xXZensukeXx

"Zensuke," Grace whispers as she begins to lightly shake me by the shoulders.

"Hmm?" I slide open my eyelids to reveal cold blue eyes in the darkness of the night. I stretch my long, furry cat arms; remaining in one for or the other after such a long period of time is quite tolling on my body.

"You've been asleep for long enough," she tells me, watching me stretch. I bob my head in agreement, reluctantly shifting back into my human form. I rub the sleep from my eyes, soothing down my silver hair- the casual indication of a shapeshifter, although not particularly guaranteeing the species by it. Grace peers up at me, raising an eyebrow questionably. "Isn't staying in cat form more convenient?"

I frown. "Grace, if you were to feel the unbearable pain resulted by staying in that form for so long, I have no doubt you'd do the same." I twist my upper body, pulling at the cramped muscles. "I'll be in my human form for the next several hours."

"Okay," Grace replies as she pulls her satchel over her shoulder. "Hungry?" She pulls out an apple from the bag, tossing it to me. I catch it with ease, biting into it with hunger.

She smirks a bit; "I'll take that as a 'yes.'"

Grace looks up into the sunset-lit sky. "Let's see..." She points to the setting sun, following the skyline left. "That way is South. As long as we continue in that direction, we'll definitely see the castle in no time." Grace sets forward, feet crunching into the autumn leaves that caressed the thick forest floor with subtlety.

I follow close behind, prepared to set out for the next long night of adventure. Grace peers back at me in the slightest with genuine curiosity. "I kill some time, can I ask a question?"

I nod a 'yes'. An idea more idealistic than walking with silence. The last thing I want is to be left with my own musings, most importantly at a time like this, with all of the stressful thoughts that linger throughout my mind.

"What is your primary form as a shapeshifter?" she asks. The question catches me off-guard. I finish the apple with a big bite, tossing the core into the depths of the dark forest.

"Oh.. That's actually a good question."

This makes Grace scowl. "Like all of my questions aren't?"

I chuckle a little, peering into Grace's hazel eyes with amusement. "You're like a cut scab," I remark. "One poke, and you bleed."

She averts her gaze with a roll of the eyes. "No need for analogies," Grace mutters. "Just answer the question."

A smirk creeps to my lips, and I rest my arms up above my head. "Shapeshifters do not have a primary body. I treat both of my bodies as equal."

"You don't prefer your human form more?"

I shrug. "Both forms have their positives and negatives. There are many reasons why I'd prefer my cat appearance in certain situations, but my human one also gives me as many advantages," I explain simply. "I am able to communicate with you in a more equivalent manner as I am in my human shell. Like this, you aren't looking down at me.."

Grace pauses for a moment. "Then what were you born as? I've always wondered that, actually, but I've just assumed your species was born human."

"I don't know," I tell her, ducking below a spiky vine hanging in our way. This makes Grace glance at me with confusion.

"You don't know?"

"More or less, I don't bother to find out." I shrug, ignoring the questioned looks Grace flashes me. "But I can tell you how shapeshifters are created."

Grace's eyes widen with interest towards the subject. "How?"

"Same as you." This causes Grace to sigh, sticking her tongue out at me.

"I thought it'd be something cooler than that," she mutters.

I shake my head. "No, as long as one of my parents, in my case my father, is a shapeshifter, there is a fifty percent chance that I'll will inherit the ability."

Grace frowned. "No offense, but shapeshifters in general disgust me. Their rarity makes me feel like they shouldn't even exist. How many are there in the world, do you know?" She makes a displeased face. "The last thing I want is more roaming around.."

She's just like the rest, I think. "I will try not to," I mutter. "There are only five remaining, as known publicly, though. Each five of us can shape into a different creature, in my case a feline." I sigh, dropping my hands at my sides. "Our kind is said to die out by the end of this century."

Grace frowned a little. "You live that lo-" I stop her in her tracks, interrupting her slightly annoying questions. We've reached the top of a hill now, overlooking a giant valley down below. I point a boney finger up ahead:

A relatively large village proudly stands in the center of the valley, lined with houses belonging to a certain architecture style that I cannot place at the moment. Several narrow mine cart rails weave throughout the village, all in which leading into the mountains. I then remember- this is the classic structure of a village for dwarves.

"Grace," I manage. "Do we have to go through here?" She nods with a smile.

"It won't be that bad. Besides, these are only dwarves, so they're used to criminals running through the streets."

I sigh. "Okay.." My heart stops when I realize the great risks of stepping foot into such a large village. What if one of the citizens has met or seen King Joel? It'd be the perfect opportunity to call attention to myself and strike it rich- all with the last beat of my heart. I hesitate to advance, but Grace sets forward with no worries. She then notices me behind her, frozen in place.

"What's wrong?"

I have to get a grip. I shake my head absently; the probability of a underdeveloped village of poor dwarves actually having a citizen that met the King Joel was very unlikely. "....Nothing. Let's go."