A Shadowed Legacy

Chapter One

Part One: Arya (The Shapeshifters)

A short, dark-haired girl slowly padded into a dimly lit kitchen, glancing around warily. She quickly ducked around the counter before sneaking up on the older boy on the far side of the dining room, reading under a lamp.

After a considerable amount of time, she made it to the other side and lightly tapped his shoulder, grinning, "What're you reading, dear brother?"

He jumped, whipping around to glare at her, nearly knocking the lamp over in the process, "Arya! Really?! For Avem's sake, you're as bad as Mom!" He glowered down at Arya, reaching for her.

Arya laughed, and quickly ducked out of reach of her brother, "I probably get it from her. Not sure where you came from though, Rylan. You're so serious." She poked him once as she passed by him on the way back to the stairs that lead to the second floor, grinning. He didn't have the ambition to continue the chase, and went back to his book, grumbling about annoying little siblings.

"I hear you've successfully annoyed your brother," her mother's voice drifted from a lone corner of her room as Arya entered, making jump and whirl to face the dark figure, then she snorted at her.

"How long have you been there?" The teen eyed her as she gave a sigh of resignation, making Kathrin laugh.

Kathrin flicked the light switch on as she crossed the room, shaking her head in amusement, "not long. I just waited until I couldn't hear Rylan chasing you anymore before coming in here to scare you." She tilted her head, gaze softening, "Get some rest, you don't want to stay up too late. School's tomorrow." She motioned to the dark sky outside the window, speckled with stars. The small overhang that was a part of the roof was purely darkness, and little could be seen there.

Arya nodded as she plopped on the edge of her bed, then leaned up to hug her mother, "Of course. I haven't seen my friends in eons, anyways, and I wouldn't miss that for the world."

"Goodnight, dear," Kathrin kissed her forehead, then left the room as silently as she had entered to join her mate in their room.

The teen shook her head, then turned out the light. A slight prickling on the back of her neck made her turn to stare suspiciously at the window, but there was nothing but darkness there. Probably just me being paranoid. Arya shoved the thought aside as the feeling vanished, examining the window for a moment longer before heading to bed. She could have sworn she had felt someone watching her.

Arya walked underneath a tree branch on the way to the school, chuckling as the tall, pale-haired girl beside her had to duck, "I bet you'd rather be short like me so you can avoid those, Zoei."

"Nope!" The wolf shifter declared vehemently, "I quite like how tall I am, even if branches get in my face. It's just this form that's the issue." She tossed her braided hair back, making Arya laugh.

"Hey there, lovebirds," another voice from a tree branch above the two girls made them jump, and then turn to glare up at the new voice. Green eyes glimmered out from leaves that were beginning to change color with the seasons. Arya whipped around, hiding the red that was sneaking into her cheeks by studiously examining her nails.

Zoei glowered with her hands on her hips, her violet eyes glinting in annoyance, even as her face turned red, "Bri, you are the worst. Come out of that tree so I can bop you on your head, or will I have to fetch you from there?"