Miakoda

One Becomes Two

Tom's POV

It's been almost a month now.

Training Madison and Miakoda has been both strenuous as well as rewarding. Like watching a wilting plant recover.

Not only recover but start to flower.

She still doesn't trust me 100% but we're getting there. She still doesn't talk but she smiles a lot more and her eyes don't keep shifting to the door every time we're in the same room together.

Not only her mental state has improved but so has her physique. She's stronger, healthier and I'm glad to see the purple rings under her eyes have cleared. Even her pale skin has it's colour back.

She's so doing well, I think the day we burnt her old crusty clothes on the bonfire was the first step for her in her healing process. I'll never forget the look in her eyes that day. The turquoise lit up like a blue flame.

Selene was right about her. She always thinks of others before herself. She's even made me softer. No-one can resist her. In such a short time, I can say that I undoubtedly love her, she's turned me from a stubborn, old, lonewolf into a father. I want to make her stronger and better than I ever was or could be and Goddess help anyone who would want to do her wrong.

"Bring your elbow a bit further back." I advise her, going over to her to lift her arm and position it correctly, as I watch her attacking the tree trunk. She follows my instructions and brings her elbow back and punched. There's an echoing crack that rushes across the forest floor as the trunk of the tree splits. There's a following, ripping sound as the tree falls past the surrounding trees taking down their branches with it and collides with the ground.

She turns to me smiling widely, both of us proud at what she's just done, but just as quick as the tree split, she buckles over holding her stomach in pain. She doesn't cry out but it's obvious. This pain has been coming and going quite a bit this week. The time between each episode seems to be getting shorter and shorter. She won't tell me what's happening and I'm worried about them. I need to talk with Miakoda to see if she knows but Madison doesn't want Miakoda saying anything.

I run over to her, holding her shoulders like she was made of glass, scared that if I hold her any tighter that she would shatter in between my fingers. I coo to her and try and get her to breath evenly. My heart pounding with every rap of her speeding heart.

Surprisingly this time it doesn't last very long, but I'll need to keep an eye on her.

"Maybe we should take a break Maddy. You've been at it for hours." I try and convince her but she's quick to shake her head. I without warning wrap my arms around her. She stiffens at first but relaxes after I say, "You're making me worry, Maddy." I couldn't help the father coming out in me and I subconciously kiss the top of her head, as I hold her. She pulls her head away just enough to look at me and see that I genuinely was worried. She then places her head against my chest and a faint, weak, "Sorry" comes out of her mouth. Her first word! My heart swells as did my chest, with pride. She spoke. She trusts me enough to speak. I smile and dropped another kiss on the top of her head. She then wrapped her arms around me and holds me as tight as I am her.

Instead of embarrassing her for her weak tone she let slip, I just hug her tighter, which she seemed to have appreciated.

Deciding against my better judgment, I let her carry on training as she wanted.

I watched and guided her, punch after punch, kick after kick. I take her through a series of grip holds, twists and flips, which she has down to a tee.

We then face each other and we go at it. Taking each other one on one. I then start showing her and correcting her stances and footing. When to exhurt power and when to deflect. Each time she improves becoming more aware of where her body is and what it's doing.

As her energy levels dropped, Miakoda came out. I recognized her by the eye colour change. I admired how easily and freely they gave each other control. They worked well with each other. Sensing when it would be benefitial for one or the other to come forth.

I smiled. "Welcome Miakoda." She smiled back.

I couldn't help but mentally point out the differences between Madison and Miakoda.

Miakoda was more confident, sassy, independant, calculating and unafraid. Her movements were more fluid than Madison's but Madison was getting there. If her and I could help get Madison to her level, they would be an unstoppable force.

I was wanting to call it a day as the sun was starting to sink below the tree line. But Miakoda, just as Madison had, was refusing. She wanted to still train. Again, pushing my better judgment to it's tethering edge. I agreed, but she would need to bring her work outs closer to the cabin where I could keep an eye on her, while I make supper. She agreed.

On our walk closer to our cabin I decide to question Miakoda as to what's happening with these surges of pain attacks.

She just shrugged it off like it was no big deal. "It's normal." She stated.

"Normal?" I asked, thinking of Madison's features, contorting up in the pain.

Miakoda laughed. "Oh, so you wolves feel no pain when you shift for the first time?" She rhetorically asks. "I'm more than just a set of green eyes, old man."  She taunts me with her new nickname for me.

I chuckle knowing full well that if anyone else called me that, I'd probably rip their tongue out. I knew first shifts were extremely painful. If Madison was going through her first shift, then she's with the right person.

Just before I could ask, Miakoda answers. " Madison is getting stronger, she'll be able to handle the shift soon. So be prepared, Old man." She smirks at me.

I nod and smile at her. Leaving her to train, where I can see her and go inside to make some food.

An hour or so later the food is done and I disappear upstairs to take a shower.

I've climbed out, drying myself off when I hear a roaring whine. I don't even dress before I'm running down the stairs and out the door. All that rushes through my head is, 'My little girl.'

I get outside and it's dark but I see the flashes of blinking green eyes in the dark, close to the ground and I sprint to them.

"Mia!" I shout. But just a faint whine comes from her. She's curled herself up into a ball. As I touch her, I can feel the searing heat coming off of her. Shit!

My instincts kick in. I scoop Miakoda into my arms and run her into the cabin and up the stairs. I place her down on the bed and run to the shower switching it on. Making sure the water is warm, I go back and pick her up again. I climb into the shower with her holding her up in the running water. Letting the warm water cool her skin. I stand there with her under the running water for what felt like an hour. She cools down but she's no longer conscious. I carry her back out the shower, wrap her in a towel. Leaving the now damp towel around her as I place her in her bed. She needs to rest. With her, training as hard as she has today along with her body trying to shift, she's going to need to rest.

Pain is usually the first stage. Then the heat. My girl still needs to go through a fever. Then the internal burning starts, finally ending with all her bones having to break and reshape.

Madison's shift seems to be taking longer than a wolf's shift but it seems to be taking the same course, which is a good thing. Then I'm not completely useless.

I head back downstairs and disappear into the forest. There are a few things I will need to collect if I'm to get her through this without her or me going through too much torture.

I get back to the cabin to find Madison is still asleep. It's a quiet sleep. For now. Now, my work needs to begin.

Back in the kitchen I'm crushing and grinding herb after herb. Not knowing how much time I have before Madison wakes up to her fever. I will need to subdue it before it gets too bad or it will only delay and weaken her for the following steps that she will need to go through.

By the time my decotions are done and ready, the sun is already coming up on the horizon.

Madison should be waking soon.

Then the torture will start.