The Shift Chronicles

Chapter Five- Getting to Know Each Other

She walked over to the bed, somewhat reluctantly, and told me her name is Katherine Melisande. She put her ankle on the bed for me to see and I was surprised by what I saw. Katherine's ankle seemed fine. Not only was it not swollen like it should have been, but she seemed to be able to move her foot just like normal. There is only two explanations, and I highly doubted one of them. "Did you take anything for your ankle, Katherine?"

"No. Why?" she answered, a little too fast, and with a slightly higher voice than I remember her having.

I, bluntly, asked her, "You're a Shifter, aren't you?" She was taken by surprise by the question that sounded more like a statement than anything else.

"N-n-no. Why would you..." she stopped mid-sentence when she saw my that I didn't believe her at all, "Yes, I am."

"What's your Shift?" I asked, genuinely interested. I hadn't met another Shifter since I had come to the Forests. Actually, I hadn't met anyone, other than a few travelers, since I had come here. 'I need to get out more,' I thought to myself.

"It's a serval," Katherine answered, sounding reluctant. After seeing my look of incomprehension, she explained, "A spotted savanna cat? Medium sized, slender, big ears? You seriously don't know what I'm talking about?"

"Not really, but I can imagine. So, what brings you this part of Cotrar?" I decided not to ask about why an ogre would be attacking her just yet. "I assume you aren't from here due to your lack of knowledge," referring to what happened with the Weeping Sleep tree.

"Before I answer any more questions I want to know some more about you. I know your also a Shifter due to your strength and reflexes, not to mention you started to change when you were fighting that ogre. What kind are you?" she inquired.

"I'm a wolf Shifter. I am almost 18. I have lived here for a little over a year and have learned the different medicines, poisons, and elixirs that can be made with the different plants that grow here. I am decent with a short sword and with a bow. Now, would you tell me something else about yourself? Or do I need to share more?" I couldn't help but smirk when I asked that, knowing from the look on her face I had said more than she thought I would freely volunteer.

"Well, I um, I think that's enough for me to tell some more about myself. I live in the Savanna, my sister, Amelia, is the going to be the matriarch of my sluthe, my tribe. She is also a serval shifter and was poisoned by a python Shifter named Drake. She is sick now and I'm on my way to the Mountains so I can pay Drake a visit."

"Well... alright." I was slightly amazed by what she said. It seemed like a story. "But, how old are you? And how experienced are you? If you got a sprained ankle from fighting a mountain ogre, how do you expect to beat a Shifter?" I couldn't help but doubt what she was doing. "And also, where are your weapons? Do you even have any supplies?"

"MY SUPPLIES!" she practically screamed. "I can't believe I've lost them! I didn't think about it when I was running away from the ogre, and when I woke up I figured you had put them somewhere. You didn't put them anywhere did you?" She seemed frantic when she was talking but that quickly changed when she turned her fierce green eyed gaze at me.

"I didn't touch them! I didn't even know you had any this entire time." I figured she believed me when she stopped glaring at me. "I'll help you put together a backpack if you want."

She looked relieved when she answered, "Yes, that would be a big help Beck. Thanks..." she said the last word quietly, but with my exceptional hearing I picked it up.

"No problem. Now tell me, what do you want to bring?"

Author's Note

So? How was it? I finally got to where I wanted to stop. I originally had this chapter and last chapter together but decided to break it into two. What do you think? Should I have kept them together? Comments, tips, and criticism is very much appreciated. And I suppose votes are too. Thank for reading!