Elemental

Chapter 1

My pale skin feels none of the cold wind that hits it. My piercing, baby blue eyes squint through the harsh winter wind, while my snowy white fox ears and tail clench up and my curly white hair whips behind me. My skinny arms are wrapped around my torso, but not because I am cold. It's because I feel that if I were to let go the wind would blow me away like dust.

I can't see anything around me. I'm surrounded by a blizzard. Why did I argue with Twi? It was stupid! Stupid Glace! You idiot! I kept blaming myself as my fur boots treaded on through the never-ending snow.

My legs give out and I collapse on the plush ground. I'm not cold, but I am exhausted. God only knows how long I have been traveling in this weather.

The last thing I remember is me gasping for breath until I black out.

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The memory comes back so clearly, like it's happening all over again. My best friend, Twi and I arguing. I can't even remember what over. We stop yelling and she storms out the door of the tiny house we are staying in.

I look out the doorway and realize what I've done wrong, so I chase after her. She looks back and sees me running towards her, but I can see the darkness in her black eyes and know what she is going to do. When she stops, her black panther tail sways behind her.

She raises her hands above her head then claps them together and shadows coming from everywhere. Buildings, market stalls, everything. They all come to her. She releases her hands and disappears.

Quickly, I use my own power to splash water over her. I can see the water float where she once stood. The water takes off and I follow it through every part of the village. Soon, it goes through the gate that is about to close for nighttime, but I still give chase.

My mind is exploding with thoughts. Should I do this? I'm going to lose her! I need to apologize. I can't leave here. Before I can think anymore, we are both through the gate just as is closes for the night. I don't consider the blizzard outside.

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My eyes pop open and I jump up with a start. As I look around, I notice that I'm not outside in the blizzard where I had once been.

My eyes search the room and I can tell that I'm not back in my hut, or anywhere in the village where Twi and I live. The houses have been lined with fur on the inside and outside for insulation from the blizzards and cold weather they have.

This house was made from clay and had a running fireplace in the center. There was a doorway on the left and what looked like a dining table on the right. The dining table had food on it with medicine and a note. I was hot from the blanket I had been under and the fire that was blazing, so I used my frost magic to cover my skin in frost.

I slowly got up and made my way to the table. The note read,'Dear stranger, I am sorry that I couldn't watch after you when you awoke. I had to go out and get more firewood. I hope you will find the food more than satisfying and the medicine, to be helpful. My wife is home and just walk into the kitchen and ask her if you need anything.
Best Prayers,
Aeduuin.'

I took a piece off of the cooked salmon meat that was laid out on the table. It actually tastes pretty good, so I began eating the rest. I tried to telepathically connect to Twi, but I couldn't reach her. She must have blocked me.

I heard light footsteps behind me and turned around quickly only to see a woman. She was a little short and seemed 25. She had dark brown hair and dark green eyes.

"You're finally awake," her eyes moved to the salmon in my hands,"and hungry I presume?"

Petrified, I just nodded and continued eating.

She continued."My husband didn't leave you anything to drink. Would you like something?"

Again, I just nodded.

"Not a very talkative one. All we have is water, will that be pleasing?" When she said "one" I knew she meant I was a shape-shifter.

"Yes," I whispered and looked down.

"Oh so you do talk! I was thinking you were mute! I'll get you your water." After that, she walked through the doorway I had seen earlier.

I began thinking how I was going to find Twi. I can't connect to her, so I can't locate her without searching every village and town on this continent. I could ask around the people there. It's not like anyone would forget a shape-shifter walking through town, since we have almost been wiped out. Problem was, not many people prefer to help us or talk to us either. I would probably just start a fight by even daring to look at them. Only positive thing is that Twi can't stay invisible for very long until she gets too exhausted to hold it. It drains too much of her power.

I groan on frustration and pray to God for help. I finish eating just as the woman came back in with a cup of water. I grasp it with both hands and drink it. I quickly stop when I realize how warm it is, though. I can't handle warm liquids, but I can't show my power to the woman, so I just stop drinking it.

"Thank you," I whisper.

"You're welcome! Praise God we found you instead of someone else, because...you know what I mean." I nodded and she smiled before walking off.

I turned back to the table and used my frost to freeze the outside of the cup. I drank it and the water had instantly become cold, so I finished all of it.

While I appreciated the medicine, I didn't need it. I had to show some sign that would make them think I had eaten it, though. I tossed the medicine into the fire and it began incinerating.

'Now how am I going to locate Twi?' I thought to myself.
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I'm going to leave as soon as the husband, Aeduuin, comes home so I can say thank you. I'm not sure when that is, but hopefully very soon. The longer I wait, the farther Twi gets.

I'm honestly not certain how she made it through the blizzard or if she made it at all. That's what worries me the most. It was difficult for me to handle and since I control frost magic, it's inevitable that she didn't make it.

The door near the front closed and I walked towards the doorway to say thank you and goodbye.

"What do you mean? She was about to die out there! Why can't she stay?" I heard a man's voice, I assumed it was Aeduuin. I stopped and listened to their conversation.

"I'm happy that we could help a fellow Christian," it was the woman who gave me water earlier,"but what about when the guard come? We'll be thrown in jail! We just got married, I can't-"

"Listen to me, please!" Aeduuin cut her off."I'm just as scared about that as you are, but we can't just kick her out! She's only, what, 15?!" There was a silence.

I walked back into the center of the room and looked around for a quill pen and ink. When I found it, I folded the paper and turned it over. I wrote,'Dear kind, fellow Christians, I'm sorry to run off like this, and for eavesdropping, but I overheard your conversation and Aeduuin, your wife is right. I can't allow you two to be arrested for helping me. Don't take this personally.
God bless you,
The Shape-Shifter.'