Transformed [W&W Book 1]

Chapter 7

She could smell Daphne. Daphne had to have been this way. Theresa began to follow her sister's trail.

She could hardly believe her luck in finding Daphne while wandering vaguely in the bush in what she had only hoped was the right direction.

Even more unlikely, she had not even been properly looking having been completely distracted by her hunt.

Theresa felt a shot of disgust with herself for completely forgetting about what she needed to do.

It was especially worse that she had been distracted by hunting small animals, by acting like an animal.

She shook off the thought. She would have plenty of time for self recriminations when she found Daphne. For now she had to stay focused. She could chastise herself later.

Theresa moved at a steady clip, ignoring the multitude of other scents in the forest around her until she reached an open clearing. She could see a little cottage in the centre of it and couple of outbuildings.

Theresa felt happiness rise up inside her and she leapt forward, certain that she had found her lost sibling.

Daphne had never been a fan of wild places. She would certainly be drawn to any amount of civilization that she might find in the forest.

Yet a small, itching feeling of unease began to creep into the back of Theresa's mind.

How was it that she found her sister's scent so easily? How could her sister walk straight to a cottage in the middle of the woods? It was too improbable, too easy. Theresa's stomach sank.

She froze at the edge of the clearing. Their awful aunt was certainly evil but there was plenty of intelligence behind her constant manipulations. What if Daphne had been caught and this was all just a trap to lure Theresa in, too?

She slunk back into the underbrush, thinking frantically.

Theresa wanted nothing more than to charge forward and find Daphne, but if they were both captured there was no hope for them, only years of coercive slavery under their aunt's magic.

Theresa had to think of a plan to find out if Daphne was safe or hostage.

Perhaps her only choice was to wait and observe. The sun was moving lower in the sky. Theresa decided that she would be safest to wait until darkness fell. Her cat eyes would be able to see what human eyes could not, including her dark form slinking through the shadows.

She would have to spare the time, although it was hard to rein in her impatience.

If Daphne was indeed in the building and being held as bait to catch her, she would still be there when darkness fell. If she were not, Theresa would deal with that when the time came.

Theresa moved back into the forest and climbed a tree where she hoped she would be able to view the little cottage clearly. She found the perfect branch where she was both hidden yet had a clear view.

Then she waited and tried not to worry, very unsuccessfully.

Aside from a lazy trail of smoke drifting from the chimney of the cottage and a few chickens pecking around the clearing, there seemed to be no activity whatsoever.

She continued to steadfastly ignore all the interesting things all around her.

It was rather difficult, because every few seconds the wind would rush through the trees and rustle the leaves enticingly or a bird would flit through the branches.

One time a squirrel wandered close to her, but unfortunately not close enough that she felt that she could have caught it in one safe pounce.

It did not help that she was growing increasingly hungry. Theresa wondered idly if she was capable of killing a chicken for supper.