Rising from the Ashes

Chapter 3

Elenora trudges closer to the invisible barrier she senses. To a human it might look like a regular forest but Elenora had felt the shift the second she stepped foot in the northern forest. It is one of the many lost -more so hidden than lost- places in this world. Everything looks almost magical which isn't so hard to believe. Everything about this place beats with a certain magic, the trees dance and talk to each other in their own language. A language Elenora hadn't managed to pick up in her years.

Elenora's red paws dig deep into the snow, a lovely contrast. When she moves to warn Mia they're getting close to the barrier, she almost scoffs at what she sees. Even in wolf form, her playful nature does not leave her. Her large blonde wolf chases a creature that looks almost like a butterfly though it has the body of some type of monkey. It's an odd thing to look at. Mia chases the small creature, playfully growling as it taunts her, laughing mockingly and shaking it's furry butt in her face. Mia's wolf Isleen snaps her jaw at the creature who guffaws. An odd sound. It's quick to climb the tree, leaving Mia to jump up in an attempt to get the creature. She barks as she watches him or her or whatever the hell the sex of the creature is. The creature does a flip off of the tree, his wings opening wide. There's a wild swirl of color and details across the beautiful wings and it distracts Mia enough so the creature can grab a ball of snow and throw it right at Isleen's large head. The wolf growls before moving to chase the creature once again. Marcella -Elenora's wolf- growls stopping her in her tracks.

Only then does Mia know Elenora had witnessed the whole act. Isleen, not liking Marcella's frustration, bows her head and whines for forgiveness. It's not their playful nature that has both Marcella and Elenora on edge. It's going back to a pack. It's her powers. It's the rogues. It's life really, everything's been happening at once and Elenora and her wolf are both tired of it all. It's good that Mia and her wolf are enjoying themselves, Elenora suspects that soon it will be a lot harder, she suspects there's something coming and if she's being honest with herself...she's not really sure she's ready. She's not too sure she can handle whatever's coming.

Marcella huffs and rolls her eyes as she turns around, a clear gesture that she doesn't really care so long as Mia hurries the hell up. Elenora had long since told Mia that they are equals, that her actions are her own but Isleen does not see it that way. Isleen sees Elenora as her alpha and the wolf often shows her submissive nature to her. She does this while Elenora is in control, walking in her human form but when she's in her wolf form it's only that much more obvious. Marcella stops, a sign they've reached the border. She growls when Mia moves forward in an attempt to walk right through it. Mia stomps and looks back at Elenora as if to ask why the hell can't I move forward, nobodies here! She's wrong, there are people here. Mia just can't spot them.

It's obvious she had taken control and it is no longer Isleen walking but Mia in her wolf's body. It's obvious because most rogue wolves would flee from any border of a pack unless they plan to attack. They have spectacular survival instincts. Elenora had taken control over Marcella because her wolf is not always so reasonable. If any of the pack warriors watching the barrier were to challenge her, she'd kill without a second thought. Marcella does not like to be challenged. Elenora shifts, uncaring to the males who can see her. Mia follows her lead. Her fair body is covered in muck and she shivers where she stands, glaring at Elenora who ignores her as she digs through her bag, tossing an outfit her way. Mia is quick to dress "Couldn't you find somewhere less cold?" Her friend questions "I hate snow!" But Elenora knows that to be untrue. Her friend loves the snow, she just hates the cold that happens to come with the snow. If Mia had warmer clothes, Elenora is sure she would have been enjoying herself.

"I don't have many allies." Elenora tells her friend as if it were obvious.

"I didn't think you had any. That would mean you'd have to trust someone other than yourself." Mia grumbles to herself, crossing her arms "So where's this shelter? Neutral grounds are that way right?" She jerks her hand right towards the pack barrier "How much further do we have until we get there? I'm exhausted, and hungry. How much food do we have left anyways?" Elenora stares at her friend for a second before sighing and shaking her head. She pulls out an outfit of her own and proceeds to get dressed.