Forbidden Darkness (Whispers Prequel #1)

Chapter Two

Chapter Two

 

As Thyatira ran through the looming trees, she began to feel her body change into her fox form. Her skin quivered and auburn fur rippled over her arms in small waves that would soon encompass her entire body. The bones in her arms and legs began to twist and reform, breaking at some points. As long as she didn't fight the change, then it would be painless.

The process only took a few minutes, Thyatira changed from a beautiful young lady to a small, dark auburn fox with piecing moss green eyes. The summer dress she’d been wearing hung in tatters around her. The loss of clothes was one downside of being a Kitsune.

Glancing over her shoulder, Thyatira could see Nadir still changing. His light blonde fur seemed to glow in the moonlight. Knowing that this was her only chance to finally beat him, Thyatira dashed off without a second glance.

The wind blew through Thyatira’s auburn fur as her paws lithely darted and dodged through the oak trees. This was her favourite part of being a Kitsune, being able to feel the freedom of running. None of the other species could glide across the ground like the Kitsunes.

The Tephra’s had little insect-like wings sprouting from their backs and possessed the ability to fly. Just the thought of leaving the land and fluttering through the air made Thyatira feel queasy. The land was her home, she felt just as connected to it as she did her own parents.

The Amaryls were the closest relatives to the Kitsunes as they were also land creatures, but they weren’t animals. Covering the Amaryl’s skin were weaves of green vines dotted with little flowers of varying colours.

They were definitely the most beautiful of the four races and they possessed the ability to make plants and flowers prosper and even bring the dead plants back to life. Sighing, Thyatira wished she’d possessed an ability like that, to be able to give life to another living thing even if it was just a plant.

The final of the four races was the Whispers. The Whispers were a secretive race. They appeared to have a human-like form, the same as the other three races, but their bodies were shrouded with shadows. No one knew what abilities the Whispers could control which caused fear and suspicion.

Rumours of the Whispers had spread throughout the kingdom’s streets. Thyatira had heard all sorts of ghastly tales that had kept her up all night, picturing shadowy creatures stealing into her room to come and get her. A shiver ran down Thyatira spine, making her auburn fur stand on end.

Trying to shake away her thoughts of the Whispers, Thyatira tried to focus on something else. Anything else. Sighing again, Thyatira knew she probably wouldn’t get any sleep tonight now. Especially since a Whisper lived in her castle with her.

‘Why does father keep it around?’ Thyatira asked herself. ‘He knows how much the creature scares me. Maybe he’s trying to keep the peace with the Whisper’s by letting one live in the castle.’ Considering the theory, Thyatira casted it away without giving it deeper thought. It just created more unanswered questions.

‘Why would the Whisper let us treat it like a slave? Why doesn’t it use its powers to destroy us all? Why would it want to live in the castle?’ More and more questions began to pop into Thyatira’s head and she had no way to answer them. ‘I’ll ask father tomorrow.’ Thyatira decided, nodding her fox head happily. ‘He’ll be able to answer all my questions.’

Still darting through Jerawah Forest, Thyatira created a steady rhythm with her running strokes. The oak trees flew past her, their branches didn’t even dare to try and snag at her. ‘I wander if Nadir is far behind.’ Thyatira collected her thoughts and focused them on a safer, happier topic. ‘He mustn’t be far behind now. He should’ve overtaken me already.’ Worry started to fill her chest again. ‘I hope he’s okay.’

Taking a peek over her shoulder, Thyatira still couldn’t see any flashes of light yellow fur through the curtain of leaves. Worriedly, Thyatira’s pace slowed. ‘Where is he? Should I go back to the clearing?’ Her thoughts flew at her in a wild jumble of worry and confusion.

 ‘Maybe a Whisper attacked him.’ A small voice inside her murmured. ‘No, that’s ridiculous. Whispers wouldn’t be out at this hour…Would they? ’ Tossing the thought around her head, Thyatira came to a complete stop. ‘Of course they wouldn’t be. Stop being silly.’ Thyatira chastised herself but didn’t cast away the thought completely.

Just then, a light blonde wolf zipped past her. Nadir was just a flash of fur and then he was gone. Frustrated, Thyatira began dashing after him again. Nadir had played this game with her before. He’d disappear to make her stop running, then while she was looking for him, he’d dash out and win the race.            

‘He cheats every time.’  Thyatira thought, relief overriding the frustration at Nadir’s childish games. ‘Maybe one day he’ll actually beat me the proper way.’ A foxy grin spread across her face, showing her sharp teeth.

 The two Kitsune’s flew through the oak trees; Thyatira was right on Nadir’s tail for the rest of the way. As Thyatira’s cobblestone castle materialised before them, the urgency to beat Nadir willed Thyatira to push her slender legs to run faster.

Sticks and other forest debris crackled under her paws as she glided over them, Thyatira didn’t feel a thing but she was sure that tomorrow she’d have a few cuts and grazes on the bottom of her feet. Deftly, she dodged away from the thick tree trunks and stretching branches.

It seemed that Nadir also felt the same urgency that Thyatira did to win as he also picked up his pace. Everything had always been a contest between them, even when they were younger. It had become a tradition between the two of them to see who could run back to the castle the fastest.

The winner would earn unconditional bragging rights and relentless teasing. It seemed that Nadir always found a way to cheat his way into winning. ‘But not this time.’ Thyatira vowed.

‘He better be running fast because when I catch up to him…” Thyatira didn’t finish the thought, but a plan for revenge was already formulating in her head. ‘He’s going to regret making me worry like that.’