A journey of peace - GOU book 1

Chapter 10

Two months after they met the routine was predictable and therefore boring for Nicole. From morning to evening Zahra had her walk through the forest and identify plants. At lunch and dinnertime they learned how to cook over an open fire and every seventh day they stayed in the shack for training in future vision. On those occasions, Zahra went into great detail about how seeing the future works as well as some small demonstrations. Nicole wasn't able to replicate the exercises on purpose, although she got better at telling when a feeling or random thought was thanks to her ability.

Her endurance was building up once more although it was nowhere near the level before her sickness. Zahra warned her that it wouldn't be anymore although Nicole kinda figured that from the fact that her being a shapeshifter was reduced to her ears being different. Her hearing was still better than a normal human's but that was due to the way she could move the red fox-like ears and the physical difference between her entire hearing system and any other person's.

"Horsetail," Nicole uninterestedly said as Zahra handed her the green plant. "Helps with bleeding."

"Very good" Zahra commented, ignoring the tinge of anger in Nicole's voice. "How can you prepare it?"

"As a tea" Nicole dropped the bundle and sat down.

"What is it?" Zahra asked turning around.

"Why are we doing this?" Nicole asked. "I left the castle to feel free for once. Instead, I traded one boring routine for another." Zahra was impressed. She expected this to happen the second week instead of the second month.

"How did you survive when you were "free"?" she asked sitting down in front of Nicole. Despite her protest, the girl stopped exactly at their lunchtime.

"Whatever" Nicole said, taking the bundle of wood from Zahra and starting the fire. "At least no one told me what to do."

"Yes, that is true." They watched as the flames started to come to life for a while before Zahra continued. "And you do not have to be vague with me. I am a seer. I know the reason you started your little journey."

Nicole looked at her mentor with terrified eyes over the still small flames. "So that's why you try to keep me busy" she stated.

"Do not worry little one. I will not stand in your way." Zahra was sad. "I will try to show you another way but that is all anyone could do for you." With that, she stood up and left Nicole at the fire.

As Nicole was sitting there the old hatred shifted in her. She never forgot why she embarked on her journey but the circumstances were pretty good at distracting her thoughts. First, her sickness basically didn't leave her time to be awake, and then Zahra's training. She put up with the latter because she knew she will need the skills to get to the dragons. She needed other skills too though. Without her ability to shapeshift, she stood no chance if she tried to face the dragon monarchs head-on. She needed to know how to fight and she specifically needed training in ranged weapons.

She knew the basics but due to the nature of the war, her father never wanted her to be a fighter. She knew how to protect herself but nothing more. She didn't even know how to hunt and she's only ever seen people fire a bow but never touched it herself. She was never interested since her animal forms were more than capable of delivering a solid blow but now she needed the knowledge more than ever. She just wasn't sure if Zahra would teach her, knowing her plans.

Suddenly her thoughts were interrupted as a surge of alarm ran through her body. She wasn't sure what was going on but she knew she had to move. Her heart rate instinctively increased to a level closer to shaking than beating and she jumped up from beside the fire. Her ears twitched in hopes of picking up any sound but she had no such luck. At first. As the seconds ticked by she started hearing the faint footsteps of a feline predator. She was being hunted, most likely by a cougar. And if her luck held up, it was the same animal who showed her how to hunt months ago.

The animal got closer but never reared its head. Nicole desperately wished she still had the ability to just sniff out whether the cougar was even intelligent or just an animal. It could mean life or death for her. Unfortunately, she couldn't and the animal kept circling around her in the thick undergrowth. It suddenly hit Nicole why the cougar didn't come out yet. She was near a now pretty big fire. With a sudden thought, she grabbed a stick that was only halfway burning and held it out in front of herself.

"Interesting. A shapeshifter who resorts to fire," Nicole suddenly heard from behind her. Animals had a habit of badly breaking the human languages almost to the point of not being understandable. "Now what would such a creature do in Zahra's forest?"

"What do you want from me?" Nicole yelled out.

"I just wanted to see what you are" the cougar finally came into view. "Please. If I wanted to kill you I would have done it already." he gestured with his head for Nicole to drop de stick. Nicole shook her head and held the burning piece of wood firmly.

"I don't trust anyone who stalks me and then claims not to have any bad intentions." The cougar laughed. It was a deep sound between a growl and a howl that Nicole has never heard before.

"Smart girl" the cougar bared his teeth in a parody of a grin.

At the sight, something shifted in Nicole. It was the magic she had forgotten over the three months of her adventure. It wasn't nearly high enough to cause anything except for a slight burning feeling in her heart but it was there. She stood frozen, not sure how to react. That is when her instincts kicked in. Her mother had taught her how to intimidate animals without actually shapeshifting.

As an automatic reaction, Nicole used what small magic she had to release a deep growl. It sounded regal and threatening but not deadly. It was supposed to show that she isn't playing around without harming the animal. It was also the last resort solution not really something intelligent races would take seriously. Nicole's rational side knew that but she was too stunned to do anything about it.

"Leave her alone" the magic in her system allowed her to understand the bark-like words. She also recognized the owner of the statement. Erlina launched herself at the cougar and growled deeply. It was the sound of a mother protecting her cub and even the cougar realized that he has no chance of beating an enraged mother wolf.

Nicole felt the magic drain from her and she fell to her knees as it did. Her hands never loosened around the piece of wood but she couldn't think anymore. Partially due to her exhaustion but more so because she had no idea what had just happened. She vaguely saw as the cougar retreated into the forest and disappeared but her mind didn't register the events properly, completely focused on what happened inside her body.

A/N:

So I ended up changing this chapter. I wrote an interesting storyline at first but I would need more than half a month to really explore it and I'd definitely not want to publish that version yet. So I brought back an old friend instead. Enjoy.