Age of the Werecats: The Beginning

Chapter 1

The rain was pouring down outside which meant I wasn't allowed to go outside and shift. For some reason shifting in the rain was dangerous to us. We liked the water due to us not being house cats. All big cats usually like water.

Before I continue I might as well introduce myself. My name is Kiara Marsden, I am ten years old and I'm a werecat. Which pretty much means that I turn in to a large cat, well to be specific a black panther. I have long brown hair and green eyes; I am 140cm tall and have a slim build.

"Mum! Mum, why can't I shift?" I whined.

"Kiara it's too dangerous. How many times do I have to tell you?" my mother said.

"I'll shift inside then go outside."

"Kiara that's enough you aren't going out and that's that."

"I still don't get why it's so dangerous," I questioned.

"Its so dangerous because our sight is hindered by the rain. So an enemy could sneak up on you while you're shifting and totally helpless and you wouldn't see them until they are right up to you," My mother explained.

"Well can I shift inside and go out if someone comes with me?" I asked.

"Benjamin Owen Marsden! Get your butt down here," my mother yelled up the stairs.

A couple of minutes later I heard my brothers door slam and heavy footsteps coming down the hall.  The footsteps continued to get louder and closer. Soon I saw Ben coming down the staircase that lead to the bedrooms.

"Yes Mum what is it?" Ben asked.

"I want you to shift with Kiara and take her for a run in the bush," our mother stated matter-of-factly.

"But Mum Lucas and I are going to the creek for a swim," my brother complained.

"This isn't a request Ben and unless you want to be grounded you will take your sister for a run. You could even take her to the creek with you," my mother said.

"Fine but we leave in an hour and if you're not ready we won't be waiting for you," Ben sighed.

"I'll be ready,' I promised.

An hour later after stuffing my face with enough food to sustain the shift. I started to shift. Since I had only just started shifting on the onset of puberty - where the puberty hormones had triggered my first shift - I had only been shifting for a year. So it took me longer to shift than my brothers. I had a very small family for a werecat. I only had five brothers instead of the normal eight or nine. Usually a Dam - a female werecat that has had a child - would continue having children until she had the precious tabby that would keep her bloodline going.

My shift took about five minutes. There is nothing like the pain of shifting. Your bones and ligaments are torn apart and rearranged into another form. As I got older my shift would become faster but until then I'd take longer to shift than my brothers.

"Come on Kiara," my brother called from the kitchen. Both Ben and Lucas had already shifted and were waiting on me to finish. The second my shift was finished I stretched my back with my tail waving high in the air. I unsheathed and sheathed my claws as I adjusted to my new shape.

After stretching I padded down the hallway, looking at the furniture, carpet and wallpaper - yes my mum still has wallpaper but at least it wasn't some floral print - through my cat eyes was strange. There was no colour and everything looked dull. Walking into the kitchen I rubbed against my mother's legs and walked towards my brother. I rubbed my cheek against his and walked towards the door.

My mother opened the door to the backyard and both Ben and Lucas followed me outside. As soon as my feet hit the grass I was off, tearing through the back yard towards the forest past the last fence.

Once I reached the back fence, I lunged of my back legs and soared over it. I was running before my feet hit the ground. I could hear my brothers pants a few metres behind me, he and Lucas always had trouble trying to catch me.

I raced through the brush, my feet slipped on dead leaves but I kept my balance. All I could think about was that I had to beat Ben and Lucas to the creek. They always teased me when I lost to them. They were training to become enforcers like my other brothers. They were only thirteen but that was when all my other brothers started their training.

Most Toms became enforcers, while Tabbys usually got married and gave birth to the next generation. My mother hated that I would rather run around, play and fight with my brothers. I was always doing something. Climbing trees, bush walking and wrestling with my brothers wasn't something that my mother thought a girl should do but me being me I usually did the opposite.

My mother thought girls should learn to cook, clean and do domestic duties, wear high heels and dresses not jeans, joggers and a singlet. My mother thought that you should only date a werecat Tom when I thought that I should be able to date humans like many Toms that didn't marry a Tabby.

When I reached the creek I stopped and drank man I was thirsty. After about five minutes I heard the soft snapping of twigs that gradually got louder as Ben and Lucas got closer to the creek. I splashed into the creek and just as I saw a black blur coming through the last trees before the clearing where the creek was I took a deep breath and ducked under the water.

A few minutes later I saw bubbles and a black paw plunge into the water no more than half a meter in front of my muzzle. I lunged forward and grabbed the ankle bone. I didn't break the skin but I put enough pressure for it to hurt.  Let go once I heard a yelp and he started thrashing.

As I broke the surface I took deep breaths, panting. Lucas growled low in his throat and lunged at me. I dodged him easily but his canines grazed my tail. I yelped, whipped around and caught his front paw between my teeth. I then swiped my front paw with my claws sheathed at his face.

Lucas crouched down in a submissive gesture and I let go of his paw. Not more than two minutes later another black blur came into the clearing. Ben pounced on Lucas and pinned him to the ground. They rolled around and started mock fighting. Soon they started to include me in their play fighting but soon after they started getting rough. I hissed at Ben when he pinned me on my back.