My name is Arabella, at least that is what I think it is. You see I am not sure really where I came from or even who my parents are. I was named by a little girl in an orphanage. I spent a few years with her. She was charming little girl that taught me how to read and write. But that is another story. Let's continue....
There is one thing I know for sure. I am a shifter and I have the ability to shift into a couple different animals. My animals maybe different, however they share two things. The colour of their fur and their eyes.
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The warmth of the sun began lifting the last fragments of frost from the grass. I lifted my body and shook out my hair. I stretched and groaned then sniffed the air. The herd I was with wasn't near me. They didn't exactly accept me but they didn't completely shun me either. They knew I wasn't exactly one of them.
The air was still slightly crisp and on the wind I could smell something. It didn't smell right at all. A mix of human and rotten flesh and blood.
I followed the scent and what I found I didn't like. There was five of them. And I saw they had killed one of the calves from the herd. Their blood covered noses lifted and I realized what I had done. I had gotten to close and the wind had shifted. They scented me.
I took off running in the opposite direction as the sounds of paws thundered behind me. The stench grew stronger just as I felt the jaws of the wolf in my haunches. I cried out in pain and felt the blood seeping down my leg. I couldn't shake the wolf so summoning my strength I shifted again. Feeling my body growing smaller as I shrunk in size. The pain was extreme but I felt the wolf drop me and I scurried to a hole. I heard jaws snapping at the entrance before I heard growling and fighting. Then everything went silent before I heard the sound of bones snapping and popping. My mind was hazy as I heard a male voice speak.
"Come on out little mouse. We won't hurt you."
I was in pain and I was scared. But there was something about the man's voice that had me moving slowly closer to the opening. I stuck my nose out and sniffed the air. All I could smell was blood. And a lot of it.
"That's right little mouse come out more."
My nose twitched as I sniffed the air again. My tiny little eyes focused on the man just a few feet away. He smiled as my eyes took in his crouched form. He extended a hand out and then spoke again.
"You are bleeding little mouse. Come on out and let me get you some help."
I squeaked at him but scampered back into the hole as I heard a couple twigs break. Then I heard a deep growl and a bunch more snapping and popping of bones.
"I thought I told you all to dispatch the rogues and then head back. Why are you shifted?" A strong male voice asked. His deep timber had me even more curious and I slowly moved ahead again.
"Sorry alpha. But the rouges were chasing a strange looking buffalo and as we got closer one of the rogues latched on to it. It cried out and then well it shifted." The kind man said.
As I looked out the hole again all I saw was a hairy naked leg. I didn't dare move any farther as I was injured and afraid I was going to be killed. All the smell of predictors and blood had my heart racing.
"What do you mean the buffalo shifted? There hasn't been a buffalo shifter in decades." The alpha said and then he added. "Bury these bodies and let's move on. My mate is about to deliver our pup."
The leg suddenly changed and was replaced by a red furry wolf leg and I quickly scampered back into the hole. The sound of Me moving had the wolf turning his head. And his nose suddenly appeared in the hole.
"Alpha we will be right there. Hurry back to your mate."
The nose left and a low growl rumbled. The man from earlier chuckled. "I don't mean it as an order just a friendly reminder." The wolf soon took off with the sound of two others following.
The man once again called out to me. "Come on little mouse please I won't hurt you."
This time I didn't think. I came out of the hole and allowed the man to pick me up. He chuckled as I squeaked at him. He looked over his shoulder and spoke again. "Bury these bodies. I am heading back to the pack. This poor little thing needs help."
A chorus of Yes Beta sounded and I was carried off as everything went dark. My body succumbing to the pain.
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