Wind Runner

Chapter Two; Shifting

"WHY ARE YOU BRUISED?"

I yelped and shot out of bed, hitting my head on my dresser. I growled and scented the air, finding that it was only my dad, Seth.... uh oh. I looked down, pulling my hair over the large bruise on my cheek.

"I-It, I was carrying some weeds out of my garden and I uh, I t-tripped and hit my cheek on a rock."

He was quiet for a moment and I wondered what his expression was. Unfortunately, the scent image only shows outlines of people and things. Not expressions.

"Huh, must've been a big rock."

"Uh, y-yeah."

He was silent for a few moments more, then he sighed.

"Well, I was coming to say that you can, restart training, I know you're bored."

I felt a large grin on my face, and I lunged forwards and hugged my dad tightly.

"Oh thank you so much dad!"

He coughed and I sensed him smile.

"Well, you're welcome dear, I have to go, there was a uh, guest coming, and I need to go take care of it."

I nodded and slid down. After my father left, I cared for the roses. They had successfully taken and were growing nicely. Afterwards, I made my way downstairs and into the kitchen. Pancakes were on the counter for me and I dug in, I took a knife and began cutting the pancakes.

"Ryder! Put the knife down, you could hurt yourself!"

I growled, but continued cutting the pancakes with the knife. I heard a sigh, but my mom luckily dropped the subject. She babied me too much. I was sixteen, not six. After I finished eating, I went outside, I walked around the yard, enjoying the sun on my face, I scented the air, sensing AL nearby. I didn't mind this time. I just wanted to lay in the sun. I was glad I didn't have to do anything today, I was very sore from my attack. I already knew how to fight somewhat, but I still wanted to be better. But for now, I was content to lay in the grass warmed by the sun.

Faintly, I heard hoof beats, then silence. I wished I could shift.

I had been asleep for at least an hour when the pain hit, it must have been building gradually, but because I was asleep, I never felt it.

I woke then howled in pain as I doubled up into a tight ball. I felt as if I was splitting apart. I heard popping and crackling. I whimpered as my form grew and changed. My face lengthened, my eyes moved farther apart, my ears moved up and grew, my nose turned into a muzzle, my arms and legs into slender legs with hooves at the end. My hair turned into a long mane, and a tail grew, fur sprouted, and muscles grew. The entire process was torturous, and

When the pain ended, I lay gasping on the ground as a tall black horse. An image of how I looked formed in my head so I could see myself. I opened my eyes, everything was hazy, shadows moved around me, then the familiar darkness came back. Sound then came to me and I heard worried voices around me. I smelt the air, and the scent images were stronger than when I was human. Wait, when I was human?

I scrambled to my feet and stood shakily on four legs, my long forelock hanging over one of my eyes. I snorted and jumped at the sound. I opened my mouth and let out a whinny. I arched my neck and lifted a leg. I pawed, then shook my head. I lifted it high, and scented the air. The image showed about half a dozen people surrounding me, my brother among them. I lowered my head and let out a questioning snort.

"Mom and Dad are somewhere dealing with something, and Jess is with Louie."

I bobbed my head and wuffled my lips. Someone patted me and I twitched my skin. I perked my ears and did it again. After I had that down, I swished my tail and stamped my hoof. I walked around the group then trotted, then loped. I cantered then, enjoying the smoothness of my strides. I slid to a stop and reared, pawing the air. I thumped down and blew out through my lips. Someone, a herd member, murmured to my brother.

"Well she might have shifted, but she's still blind and helpless."

I squealed angrily, then wheeled and reared, pawing the air above him. I heard him gasp and fall over. I landed and followed his movements with smell and sound. My blind eyes locked on him. I bared my teeth and stomped my foot right near his chest. I pinned my ears and lowered my head to his, my hot, angry breath ruffling his hair. I wanted him to take it back. And they all would respect me after this, and from now on. I was tired of people disrespecting me. I was a shifter like the rest of them!

"W-what d-does she want AL?"

I didn't move my gaze from him, but I stomped my hoof down.

"Well Greg, I think she wants you to take it back, and she wants respect from all of you."

I snorted and bobbed my head. I flattened my ears even more when he was silent. My eyes flashed and I bared my teeth, snapping them dangerously close to his face.

"Arg! I-I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I take it back."

I stepped back, satisfied, then I turned my head, looking at each of the other guards.

"We all respect you."

They head their heads down, eyes looking at the ground, my scent pictures told me so. I snorted in satisfaction. Then turned and loped off, following the trail. I heard my brothers hoof beats behind me. The guard could have shifted too, but when I shifted, I guess my alpha power's shower up.. I was now powerful, and as the heir, I was even more powerful. And the guard knew that. Though the guards said they respected me, I know they still actually didn't. I didn't quite care, they backed off.

I followed my parent's scents to a clearing. They were facing a neighboring herd's alpha, I arrived just in time to hear him say;

"I know you want to keep the peace between our herds, and we both know a treaty is only paper. I know your daughter is blind, no man will want her, so I will take her, and the peace between our herds peace will be kept."

I jerked back, then, before my parents could answer, I reared, bugling angrily. They all turned towards me quickly. My parents smelt surprised, the other alpha seemed.... pleased.

"Ryder? You shifted?"

I snorted, glaring at them.

"Ryder... what a pleasant surprise. My name is Jared, I am the alpha of the Red Moon Herd. I believe you heard my idea, and I would like you to know that I am only two years older than you, so don't worry, our marriage will be comfortable."

My mother looked like she was about to attack Jared, and my father looked very angry.

"Jared, my daughter is not a part of peace negotiations."

Don't be rash Seth, We both kn- "

I bared my teeth with an angry snort. Jared sighed, then looked at me as he said his next words.

"I do not want to be the bad guy, Ryder, I am only trying to do you a favor. We will talk soon, maybe I can sway you."

Jared nodded to my parents, then left with his men.

Then my mother turned on me.

"Ryder you know I don't like it when you go outside alone, you could fall and hurt yourself.

I shifted quickly, thankful that horse shifters shifted back with clothes still intact. I faced my mother, turning my bind gaze to her. It made her uncomfortable too.

"Mom, I can handle myself, I am not helpless, only blind. I am sixteen, not six."

"That's just it Ryder, you are blind, you can easily run into something and hurt yourself, now I want you to go inside and leave us adults to this. You know we won't let Jared marry you, so don't worry."

I began to tremble with anger at my mom's words. I looked at my dad, and he just gave me his 'listen to your mother look' and my rage increased. They always did this! Treated me like a child! Well I could take care of myself. I shifted and ran to an open meadow to get rid of my anger. And while I worked off my anger, I felt a stirring in myself, I had the urge to run, to be free. The wind whipped my mane and tail around me. I felt as if it whispered to me, telling me sweet nothings. I wanted so badly to just run away, but I couldn't. Not right now.

When I was done and tired, I stalked home, following the trail by scent. I would leave soon. And if I didn't return when it was time for me to take over the herd, then AL could become alpha.

I would show them I wasn't a weak, blind shifter who couldn't care for myself. I would show them all.