A dog?...um no

Story 3: Chapter 7

We ended being split up by gender, so while my brother got the peace of the boys I was stuck with arguing girls. I look out the window as the girls look around, there's enough of us to look over this place three times over. I'm not needed.

Mal storms in with a huff and I role my eyes at her bratty behavior. I turn but tune out their newest spat to watch Cilia play with Audrey's bling. "I think face paint fits you better my dear, who needs to look pretty when can both look beautiful and daring with paint." I call out to her. "But I wanna sparkle!" she pouts, "Then perhaps darker colored jewels, pink doesn't fit you." I smile, "Yeah, your right. It's too damsel in distress," She agrees. "That's my girl," I grin patting her head.

After we found all that we could we hiked our way to Evie's, "Evie my dear, could I get some actual clothes when we get there. If we have to fight again I really don't want to have to pick between my life and my dignity." I sigh.  

Evie's eyes light up, "Oh I have just the outfit! Ever since you became commander all you've worn is that uniform and Isle wear. I been waiting for a moment like this!" She grins. "You've been waiting for a moment for her clothes to rip off?" Uma snorts, "Given her gifts? yes, yes I have." Evie chirps.

"I'll take what I can get, I love my brother but it's getting weird because it feels like he's scent marking." I groan, "Scent marking?" Mal questions. "What? Has Ben not told you what that is?" I laugh jokingly, but the look on her face says other wise. I let out a small sigh, "Scent marking is relatively new thing. People like my father, Silas's father, and people like scar all do it. But after people like Beast and your mother started having kids they started having it too, maybe even Uma has it." I start.

"Well what is it!" Uma panics, "Nothing harming, its a more of an affectionate thing. Like a hickey. Scent marking is when people rub their scents on a significate other to claim them. In some cases like mine I would scent mark someone before giving them a mating mark, you know like dating before marriage. In other cases it's just like how I explained it, like a hickey." I explain.

"But I don't have have the urge to do that, why would I?" Mal questions, "You do, but it's different. The cologne you got Ben? That's scent marking, I smelt it as soon as he first put it on. Whatever you did to it, it has your scent in it." I muse. "I used magic to make it, how does that effect scent?" She huffs, "Everyone's different Mal and magic is no different. A person's magic is like a finger print, but in this case it's a scent," I chuckle.

"Okay so why would I have this weird thing?" Uma spoke up, "People like my father are born shifters, its a DNA make up so it comes to us organically and naturally. But for people like your mom and Mal's  they used magic to create an alternate form. It's less perinate than mine, but there's always some left behind after the first shift. To make the transition from human to beast easier every time you shift. That little bit stayed with Beast, Maleficent, and Ursula. So when they had you guys...you became natural shifters just enough to carry the behavioral traits." I explain. 

"How do you know so much?" Cilia asks, "Back at the Isle, natural shifters take a special class about it. The ONLY good thing about that education system." I smile. "Why didn't we take it?" Mal questions, "Because while you had the genetic makeup for it, it's still a magical shift, meaning it will only be triggered by magic. And since at the time no one really thought anyone was getting out and magic didn't work there, they didn't see you triggering the shift there for did not need the class." I explain. 

"What about Ben though?" She questions, "Same case, he hasn't triggered his shift yet. Believe it or not Mal, a lot of these Auradon people have the ability to shift. But since magic is banned no one has triggered it." I comment. "That's sad..." Cilia mumbles, "It is, having a gift like this. It's amazing. Wouldn't you say Uma and Mal?" I question with a soft smile. They both nodded their heads.