Running with Shifters (completed)

Chapter 14 Meg-Elaine

Chapter 14

Meg-Elaine

I've probably said this before, but I don't think Iz has any idea of just how awesome she is. Who else would become friends with a Hunter, someone that could easily kill her at any time? But no, she had to make that Monty Python reference and instantly endear herself to me. Who else would be so awesome that an eight-year-old ferret Shifter would practically claim her as her adoptive aunt (and I doubt Iz realizes this, but when she told me Em listed having fangs as part of the reason why she liked her so much she flinched. Clearly she's way more sensitive about that than she lets on)?

Then, to top it off, not only is she the last know member of a freaky family of hybrids, but then she has to accidentally get herself bitten and become this super powerful thing that even vampires can't stand against.

I look back over Eli's shoulder and see her doing the same thing she's been doing since we left the campsite four minutes ago, cradling Em to her chest and stroking her back as they silently talk back and forth.

I can't believe this but in some ways I'm jealous of her. She has such great strength and speed, and she can communicate to most of our group without even talking. Granted, they have to be Shifted, but still... and I vaguely remember her once saying something about being able to communicate in any language.

The town finally comes into view as we leave the woods. It's tiny; Main Street consists of only four shops and a diner from what I can see. The street curves around the woods and in a couple feet we actually start walking on it towards town. On the other side of Main Street, and I can actually see it, is a river with a few boats docked.

Just as we're passing an empty parking lot on the edge of town I stop hearing footsteps behind me. Turning, I see Iz standing shock still, a look of disgust and confusion on her face as she sniffs the air, while Lin hovers beside her unsure of what to do. I whistle for the others to stop and a second later everyone's over to where she is. "What's the matter?"

She looks at me, a spark of worry in her eyes, "I don't know. I don't recognize the smell."

That's it? Really? "Well what does it smell like?"

"It... it's hard to pinpoint. It's faint... yet distinct. If that makes sense. Kind of like the Shifters, earthy and meaty, but with an overall... rancidness?" From the corner of my eye I can see the Shifters looking disgusted and Eli asks if that's what they actually smell like to her. "Yeah. Sorry. Anyway, does anyone have any ideas?"

Everyone shakes their heads no and I almost nod but then think better of it, shaking my head along with them. I do know what that smell is, surprisingly. My brain pulls up what I read from an extremely old study of my great... great uncle's? He'd captured a vampire and for some reason he asked it what other creatures smelled like (that, to me, seems extremely random but I'm sure he had his reasons) and the vampire described a creature similarly to what she just said.

A Werewolf.

I decide not to mention it just yet because 1: we're really close to town now and if she decides to flip out for whatever reason it would draw unwanted attention and 2: we're perfectly safe until the sun sets. Because, despite what myths have said for hundreds of years or more, Werewolves can change every night and are only made slightly stronger by the full moon.

Deciding to tell her once we reach camp, I walk close by her side as we make our way through town and I can't help but tense at any unexplained noise and reflexively reach towards Iz's boot and the dagger hidden there within easy reach. She gives me the occasional suspicious look but other than that just welcomes my company.