Teeth »ᴄɵᴍᴘᴌᴇтᴇ«

TWENTY-THREE

TWENTY-THREE

Waking, I blinked to feeling bounced. Hearing the roar of an engine. Smelling the gasoline, and the others around. Where were we going? But then my mind hit me with a more important question. What had happened? Had what I thought had happened, actually happened? Or had they just wanted me to fear it?

Looking around showed that I was tied down. And that the puma was near. As though I'd mentally called him. He woke, and looked in my direction with pain-filled, tired blue eyes. That, and the rush of information told me that they hadn't just done it to make me fear. They'd actually made him... him, Rowan Hayes do it because if he hadn't, they would have killed his last family member, Sierra Hayes who was being held against her will. At the same time, dates rushed into my head and I knew that I'd been kidnapped around six days ago... and they'd left their base near the village three hours ago. And they were nearly at the Tri-Moon Head Quarters.

Which meant that I had to get out with Rowan. Because, even though it wasn't wanted, we were now each others. Looking at Rowan, I pulled at his strength to fuel my shift. Not that I knew who to do it, but somewhere, I knew there was something that would let me shift. Let me become the other the doctor had said I could. Rowan's blue eyes became pained as he felt what I was is doing, probably thinking that I wanted to kill him.

Lifting himself up, he crawled over to where my head was. "Why? Why are you doing this to me, I'm sorry–"

"Rowan," I cut him up. "I need you to trust me."

With a sad sigh, and pain in his eyes, he laid his head against the floor of the machine that we were being transported in... then willingly gave energy. And as easy as that, something shifted, pawed to be let out. Closing my eyes, I allowed the creature within to come out to play. The pain that followed... only experience kept me from screaming out. Alerting the others in the front of the truck.

As the shift finally came to an end, and the machine below us creaked with my increased weight. I opened my eyes... and blinked as I shook my fur free. I was lower, but not that much lower. And the colours that I knew, weren't there, but they weren't gone either, they were just less. Facing Rowan showed that he was staring at me with fear and awe. Lowering my front half, I motioned as much as I could for him to mount my back. I was the size of a small, but very bulky pony, I knew I could carry him. Especially since all my wounds seemed to have either healed or just not be visible in this form.

After a couple of moments without movement, Rowan spoke. "Valerie?"

I blinked and nodded in confirmation.

"Are you... er... do you know who I am?"

Again I nodded and gestured my back impatiently, especially when I heard the engine stop revving and the breaks be increased.

"You want me to ride you?"

Again I nodded as the vehicle came to a stop. The sudden sound of the door slamming shut after I'd heard the passenger climb out made Rowan jump up and onto my back. Turning so that I faced the back of the vehicle, I prepared myself to jump out when the man opened the back doors of what must have been a van or a very small truck. Hearing the lock turn, I waited, feeling Rowan's arms wrap tightly around my neck, and his legs try to crush me so that he wouldn't fall off.

And then the door handle was pulled, opening the door. As soon as it was wide enough, I leapt out of the vehicle, onto the one that had been behind it. I heard the metal beneath my paws moan as it bent. Climbing over the vehicle showed me that there were several more and a forest on both sides. Not stopping, I turned my large body for the forest, and ran. Inhaling as I ran, I scented the fear from the small prey that scurried away for protection within the trees and bushes. I felt the leaves and small twigs place pressure against the pads of my paws, but they didn't hurt. Nor did the plants or trees as I brushed by them, my fur being thick enough that they touched me like they were feathers. I also found that now I was out in the night, my sight had changed slightly again. I could see even though it was pitch black and moon was only peeking through the cloud cover. I could see that I would have to change direction in a moment because I wouldn't be able to make it over the next obstacle with Rowan snuggled on my back.

Slowing down, I paused for a moment to hear whether or not we were behind followed. The sudden flash of light that only just missed us because I ducked said that we were, and so I moved. Running as fast as I could. Make distance now, hide and rest, then we could take a slower pace unless they'd managed to track us down again. Which might be likely as I noticed that me paws were fairly large and I didn't think that it would be possible to find a tiger in these parts of the world. But then, as though my mental thoughts were heard, the heavens opened, and rain poured like it had never been let loose before.

   

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