Fireheart

Chapter 5

Clan structures are not too complex at their basic levels. There's the Clan Leader at the top, followed by his Circle, or top advisors. These could include the Church leaders, his Generals, and sometimes his wife. The next level is made up of various levels in the army, and Monks. At the bottom are the Recruits. They are important, however, as they keep up with the tasks that keep the Clan running such as farming and infrastructure.

-Excerpt from The Great Book

We followed the Monk parallel to the forest line, and the entire time I kept my eyes on it. Maybe I'd be able to get permission to Shift tonight. Or sneak out anyway.

"When you enter the apartments, you will find a single room with a bed in one corner, a kitchen to the left, and a closet that acts as a bathroom off to the right. Included is also a bookshelf with various books and texts in it. The only study you're required to go to is Magic study." Said the monk. Beside me, Connor was nearly dancing. I guessed he was something of a scholar.

"Outside of magic study, you're working wherever you're placed, which you will be told tomorrow. After work, the day is yours. We just ask that you do not leave your rooms without a guide until you understand the lay of the land." He said, leading us to a squat brick building.  A black sign reading 50-59 was above an oak door.

"There are a lot more restricted areas here than in the Muz or Shamol camps. That's because part of the power you'll all eventually manifest is the ability to raise and control the dead. You don't wanna see the training part of that building."

No one spoke. The air, however, began to smell of male excitement. I gazed around at the group and followed where they were looking.

A tall, tanned woman was walking towards the group. Her black hair flowed behind her. She wore a tight, sleeveless, pink bustier, that showed off her slender shoulders and perky breasts. The shirt was low cut and showed off a sliver of flat stomach above tight leather pants. She even wore heels. As she got closer, I managed to take a smell of her. Steel. Weapons. Brimstone. But the smell of death on her was faint.

"Ah here's one of your teachers now." said the monk, seemingly unaffected by her beauty. Even I was beginning to feel conscious of my now dirty white robe. And how long had it been since I bathed?
"Jerrik," said the woman in a clipped Western accent. "Leading the Recruits to their dorms?"
Jerrik nodded and allowed her to look us over.

"There's promise in this group," she said, gazing at us all.

She looked at me the longest.

"Are you Fyre?" she asked. I nodded and looked at her shoulder rather than her eyes. Wolf didn't want to challenge this female.

"Phoenix told me about you. I've made sure that I have the pleasure of teaching you. When your escort comes to take you to class, make sure he knows that you're going to Garnet's class."
I smiled at her, and she returned it wholly. "Good luck you guys," she said to the group before continuing to wherever she was headed before talking to Jerrik. Most of the men followed her as she left. I managed to resist checking if the back was as nice as the front. Based on the men's reactions, it was.

"Now then, let's get you inside," Jerrik said, with little hurry.

The inside of the building smelled of cleaner, and most importantly people. There was hardly any brimstone smell in here. No death period.

Each room held one man, as expected. We were at the end, so Connor and I got to our rooms last.
"There should be food inside for a meal tonight. Get showered, and get comfy," Jerrik told us. "You'll be woken at 7 for your first Magic study." He left us to walk into our own rooms.

The inside smelled clean enough, and it was bigger than I thought. The inside was a simple gray, the same gold trim I saw on the obsidian building. There was a large red dragon painted on the floor. The twin bed was off in a corner under the only window, and there was a small kitchen to the left of the door. The bathroom was a closed little closet in the corner to the right.

I stepped in and twirled around. It was cute. And enjoyable. Mainly, it was mine. I shared a room with Rebecca for so long, that I forgot what it was like to be on my own. Suddenly, my chest began to hurt. As nice as it should've been, I missed Rebecca. The only thing I had close to her was Connor.

I shook my head and walked to the bathroom. It was small and simple. A toilet, sink and mirror and a shower stall. I turned on the water and smiled at how hot it was. I stripped down, making a note to throw away the old white robe. Stepping into the water was heaven, and one I didn't want to leave.
Eventually, though, the water began to flow cold, and the soap was running low. I stepped out and wrapped in a towel I found under the sink and a pair of scissors.

I held them in my hand for a long time before gazing in the mirror. I continued to look and found a comb. I combed through my hair, then began to cut the white locks just above my shoulders. I did this, probably mangling the back until I had a shorter haircut. Perfect.

I dried, dressed, then stepped out into the room. I looked at the small window above the bed. Night had already fallen. I looked at the forest. So perfect. Amazing for hunting.

Without thinking, I opened the window and looked out. The building was one story, so there was no need to worry about a fall. It was people being around that I worried about.

I smelled the air, and after deciding that there were no people I climbed out. Running to the forest, I peeled off the clothes. I made it to the forest line without being caught. Still no people on the wind, I looked around for a den. I eventually found a den made of some fallen trees and bushes. I stashed my clothes there and walked to a clearing. The smell of the pine and oak trees nearly made me cry. I kneeled down in the grass and ran my hand through it. We just gotta be up at dawn, I said to Wolf. No worries she said back.

So I hunched my back, and let myself go. I melted into the wolf, and as my vision turned gray.

She howls. It has been a long time since her other half let her run. The smell of the trees makes her other half think of her younger days, as a pup. She sniffs at the ground and wants to roll in it. It is soft, much softer than the floor of her other home, in the cave. She trots around the clearing, then runs off into the woods. The feeling of the branches digging into her fur sends waves of pleasure through her body. It is not often that her other half lets her run, so she enjoys it. She smells the new trees, marks the new territory, laps up water from a stream she finds in the massive forest. It's cold and she wants to swim, but she knows the night to swim is not tonight.
Soon, she hunts. She catches the scent of a rabbit, and follows it, trying to stay hidden. She finds it, returning to its own den. Staying downwind, she waits for her chance. It stops and looks around. When its eyes are on her, she pounces. In one move, she grabs its necks and shakes, breaking the rabbit. Then, she eats, feeling the blood flow out of her mouth, and down her chest.
With a full belly, she makes the journey back to the den her other half picked out. She finds her way in and curls up loosely. She sleeps happily knowing that she has run and she has hunted. She promises she will be good to her other half so she may run again, and soon.