Anishift

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

(Russhell)

I woke up first and blinked blearily as the soft snores of Salali lightly floated through the air. Rising to my feet, I watched the two sleep soundly. Glancing up to the trapdoor, I opened it and raised the floorboards. Everything in the house looked the same as last night. Sneaking a quick look behind me, I confirmed that the two were sleeping before gingerly climbing the ladder.

I walked to the door and sighed in relief. The spell was still lingering on it. Turning to the window, I could no longer conceal my curiosity. The woods looked like they always did, minus the fact that there were tons of paw prints.

I opened the door and scooted down the ladder. Feeling a tad weary, I watched before shifting into my animal, confirming the fact that it was safe now. My ears swiveled as I took another look. Annoyed at myself, I left hastily, and advanced toward the village, my heart pumping vigorously as I continued to search around for life. Upon reaching the village, it confirmed my fears.

Blood was dotted across the ground, suggesting that someone or something had been caught. Taking a gulp, I dared to inspect the houses, which were torn and broken in the desperate attempt to search that night.

A cold feeling gripped me, but I shook it off, knowing that I had more important things to attend to. Meeting at the more hidden house at the end of the village, I found it less damaged, and hope began to blossom. I inched into the dark hut, and a voice stopped me.

"D-don't move!" It said, and I instantly recognized the voice as a male. I could barely make the ghost of a face in the darkness, the eyes taunt with fear and worry. I shifted quickly, showing that I meant no harm.

"I'm Russhell, a fox Anishifter," I said, meeting the boy's eyes with my own. He relaxed slightly, and came forward so I could see him more clearly.

"I'm Buck, A deer Anishifter," He answered. I saw the resemblance instantly. He had mainly brown hair, with tints of black and lighter and darker tones of brown. His eyes were a dark brown, passing for black if you weren't careful. He wore a soft looking brown sweater, and had black pants and shoes. He gazed at me, wondering whether to trust a fox Anishifter.

"Aren't you related to those...wolves?" He said sharply. I glared at him for bringing those savages up in a time like this.

"Does it really matter? Are you going to come with me or not?" I asked him, equally as sharp. He looked confused for a moment, but I ignored that. Turning on him, I walked stiffly out.

"Wait! I-I don't want to be alone." Buck whispered softly, and I noticed his deer ears go down, and his tail stilled. Cursing myself, I allowed him to follow me back to the tree house. I could already hear sounds of movement as we approached in animal form. I was never going to hear the end of this one.

(Cat)

I woke up and yawned, my vision blurry. It cleared as I blinked rapidly. I saw Salali and a quiet sound drifted around the room. I froze at it, before realizing that Salali was snoring. Easing my tense muscles, I looked around. Where was Russhell? The trapdoor was open and I wondered if she was upstairs. I waited for some sound of movement, but none came.

"Salali!" I whispered, wondering how deep a sleeper she was. It seemed as if she was hibernating, only as a rock. "Salali!" I tried again, more urgent and louder this time. She merely flicked her hand as if she was flicking a pesky fly. My panic rising, I resorted to a less soft approach.

"SALALI!" I yelled, while rocking the girl back and forth, trying to wake her up. In a flurry of hands, she faced me with an incredulous look on her face.