The Lightning Jar

(4)

Shape Shifter [sheyp shif-ter]

Appearance: Their true form appears as a dark, jagged shadow, although they are able to change their appearance at will

Power: Beyond changing their form, they are unable to wield additional magic. However, they innately know the names of those they interact with.

Habitat: They are typically spotted in the center of the Fardian Woods; their territory roughly spans from the River Kell to the wild apple groves in the north

There are several clans of shape shifters that can be found in the Faudian woods. Some are benign, but most are known to cause havoc. These clans are often at war with one another, striving to take control of the various territories they claim.

Luckily, beyond their ability to change form and to innately know the names of those they interact with, shape shifters cannot yield magic of their own.

Shape shifters enjoy taking on the forms of those humans typically trust, such as family members or small children. But when they transform, there is always a dark mark of their true nature left behind on their body. Familiarize yourself with these marks, to ensure that you don't fall prey to the beasts' tricks.

* * *

I couldn't sleep that night; I kept worrying that the shape shifter would return. Nathan, Lira, and I all took shifts, staying awake to make sure that nothing breached our camp. Yet even when I was supposed to be asleep, my eyes were peeled open; I kept envisioning the shadowy creature that had attacked us, hallucinating that each shadow and crackle of leaves was a shape shifter in disguise.

When it was finally my turn to keep watch, I also spent some time examining my two new companions, searching for marks. Rationally, I knew they were not shape shifters. After all, they had breached the circle of salt and did not smell of sulfur. And yet, I still scoured their flesh in the flickering firelight, as if suddenly expecting to see a blemish on Lira's brown cheek, or a strange bruise on Nathan's pale arm.

Eventually, the sun slunk its way above the horizon, bringing with it rays of light that dissolved the night away and made me feel marginally safer. I knew I had no reason to feel safe; the Field Guide hadn't said anything about whether shape shifters were nocturnal beings or not. And yet I still felt much better with the sun warming my skin and bathing the clearing in sheets of white light.

As I put out the fire, Nathan swept up the salt circle and Lira put all three of our jars inside my bag. We had decided it was best to keep them out of sight as we traveled, and I was the only one who had a bag big enough to fit all of them.

"You're running low on salt," Lira said as she peered inside the small drawstring that held my supply. She looked at me sheepishly. "I think that's my fault. I poured some out when that... thing attacked us last night."

I took my bag from her, slipping it onto my shoulders. "It's fine. There's a market not too far from the mountain. I'll stock up there after we deliver these jars. Got the map?"

"Yep."

I looked at Nathan. "Got your bow?"

He held it out in front of him. "Ready to fire if any more creatures come at us."

I nodded. "Good. Then let's head out."

* * *

The day was clear, and a light breeze whistled its way through the trees, bringing with it the smell of running water, strange flowers, and occasionally a hint of sulfur. However, for the most part, the walk was pleasant and serene. We hardly saw any creatures save for a garden snake, a few beetles, and a tiny green pixie drinking nectar out of a flower.