Shifters [Discontinued]

Chapter 1

Some 3000 years later...

"I used to enjoy going into that wood, enjoyed many games with my brothers in there. Shame what's going to happen to it."

Grunting and heaving sounds, followed by the clash of metal.

"Aye, you can't beat good old-fashioned outdoor play."

More sounds as something was fitted into place.

"Oh dear, it's nearly half eight and I promised Liz I'd take her into town this evening. All sunsets are late in summer, it's morning before you even realise it."

The two men finished changing the tyre to the four by four and hopped back in the car, unaware that they were being watched the whole time...

In the dense thicket, just to the side of the country road, an eye was just about visible amongst the long grass and overgrown plants, watching their every move, blinking only occasionally, the reflection of his predator in his bright blue orb.

He did not make a sound. He did not move. He simply waited until the two men had started the engine back up and driven away, and even then he was quiet and still, invisible to the normal world. He knew you could never be too careful and gently sniffed the warm evening air to see if any other Normals were lurking nearby.

Only when he felt completely safe did he slowly come out of his crouched position, seamlessly changing into his animal form as he did so.

It was a rare sight, to see a snow leopard by a rural lane in the English countryside. The majority of Shifters bonded to animals from their specific country or region, but not Simon Minter. He was an exception, and it made him a prized target for any hunters who ever caught sight of him.

Luckily, it had been many years since he'd last been hunted, having found himself a safe hideout at a young age. Things between the Normals and Shifters were not as bad as they had once been, some Normals who weren't born Hunters were even somewhat accepting of their sub-species human brothers. There was still violence between them, especially in other countries, but after the great war nearly two hundred years ago, things had quietened down a bit. Mainly because any Shifters willing to fight had been destroyed and the rest forced into even deeper countryside. Still, Simon was not about to take any chances.

Creeping slowly from his hiding position, he padded forward with a practiced stealth, barely making a sound on the soft grass, and sniffing the air as he went. Sitting a couple of feet from the bush he had emerged from, he analysed his surroundings, turning his head this way and that, white fluffy ears twisting to attention.

Birds squabbling for a place to rest for the night and the chirping sounds of crickets were all he could hear. Everything seemed at peace.

Content he was safe, the snow leopard padded forward a few more steps, having to crane it's neck to see over the hedges. Despite having the word 'leopard' in its name, snow leopards were fairly small, about the size of a large dog, with a tail that made up for most of its body length. They were incredibly powerful cats though and good fighters, although this particular Shifter had seen enough fighting in his short twenty years.

Prowling around some more to make absolutely certain there were no Normals around waiting to ambush him, he made his way back to the gap in the hedge. Sending a message to his friend by the simple telepathy all Shifters had with one another, he began sniffing out potential prey. A rabbit would do, or better still, two rabbits.

"I think it's safe now Josh."

"Um...there's still something strange about the hideout this evening," came his friend's quiet reply.