Tooth and Claw

Chapter 10

"Welcome to class, everyone. Today is incredibly special." Leon announced. "We're choosing familiars!"

Whispers burst in the class. Leon clapped his hands to get his attention back. He stepped out of the classroom and wheeled in three large crates, each with a blanket covering it.

I had already out Aspen in the dragon crate, and Ry and I trained him all day to choose me over everybody in the class.

Or tried to train.

Leon started talking again, taking ahold of one of the blankets. "Everybody has a familiar. Even if yours isn't here, you still have the rest of your life to find one." Leon explained, pulling the blankets off the crates.

One held a bunch of baby dragons. I could see Aspen, along the sides of the other fire and ice dragons.

The other held these baby pups, with colorful, fiery fur. Fire burst up besides them. One transformed into a small phoenix-type animal, and another couple turned into a fire fox animal.

The last had these furry bird animals, wind whooshing from the crate, blowing in the faces of some students in the front row. Their sleek coats were neat, and they shuffled around regally.

Most students leaned to the side, whispering to their friends.

I kept my eyes on Aspen, and his ice blue eyes piercing into mine. He let out a very loud whine, slicing through Leon's speech.

The class's eyes drew over to Aspen. He squirmed, making the dragons around him snap at his scales as a warning. Aspen whined again, and Leon laughed.

"Seems this one can't wait. Okay class, don't scare them. Let them come to you, and don't be irritating. They are incredibly smart, and can understand human language. Do something bad, and they will understand." Leon opened the three crates.

The animals darted out, flying and scampering around.

A fire fox sniffed a boy next to me, and nuzzled his face. The boy grinned and clutched his new familiar.

Aspen let our another whine, getting stuck in the sea of familiars. He spread his wings, giving him a boost onto Emile's desk.

She snatched him up, petting his spikes.

He bit Emile's arm, and she yelped, her hand clamping over her red arm. Aspen avoided the students, weaving through the wooden desk. Aspen leaped from one desk to the next, and right into my arms. I hugged Aspen, his white fur behind his head ruffled.

Emile snarled, her face twisting with anger. I smirked smugly. I mean, at this point, anything that remotely annoys Emile is a good thing in my book.

I sighed. Thank god this day went well.

My eyes swam over the classroom, each student with a new familiar. I made eye contact with a fire fox, and she yelped in happiness, scampering over to me.

I muttered, "No... please no.."

The fox burrowed into my hug, right next to Aspen. Aspen snorted in confusion, the fox licking his face.

I picked the fox out of my embrace. C'mon Aurora, you can have two familiars.

But with as much self-control I had, I set down the fox gently. I nudged the fox towards a girl with straight black hair, her dejected face staring down at her empty lap.

The fox cocked her head, her eyes sparkling. But she curled up around my leg, her head on her legs. I sighed, and picked the fox up, putting her next to Aspen.

Aspen growled, his fur spiky. The fox let out a small squeal, then jumped into my shoulder gracefully. She raised her head, and ignored Aspen as he growled and jumped around on the desk. Leon came over, his eyes sparked with interest.

"Wow, two familiars! You're getting more and more rare everyday, Aurora!" Leon grinned.

He laughed and walked away.

Emile glared at me, her bird familiar curled up in her lap. Her hand drifted over the bird's feathers, and she picked the familiar, dropping her. The bird immediately started floating right above Emile's shoulder as Emile walked over to me.

She slammed her hand down on my desk, her expression harsh and mean.

"Listen, bitch, I've had enough of your stupid schemes." She snarled. "I have had to work for everything in my life so far, and I'm not gonna let a low-tier in my perfect way."

I stood up, my eyes burning with fury. "Blah Blah Blah. You know that's a lie, you fucking cunt. You wake up and have everything handed to you."

Emile opened her mouth in protest, but I interrupted her. "Don't even try to deny it. Your family is notoriously famous for throwing money around. Even if you were cut off," I grabbed a stack of money from Emile's jean pocket. "you have a stack of money here."

Emile growled in anger, her eyebrows furrowing. "Shut up."

I smirked, throwing cash at her face. My fox kept down from my shoulder and sniffed the cash. She hissed and a line of sparks lit up along her spine. She shook, ruffling her neat fur, and kept back onto my shoulder.

Emailed scrambled to pick up the cash, and gave me a dirty look, but she was clearly rattled by my rant. I felt kind of bad.

I mean, I'm pretty sure she just wanted to have a good relationship with Leon, gross or not. She just needs to be a little nicer while she's doing it.

I sighed, and the fox rubbed her cheek against mine, letting out a warm purring sound.

Well, didn't know foxes purr, but whatever. I thought, petting my familiars head.

Aspen huffed, a frosty breeze blowing in my face. He butted my other arm, his blunt horns poking into my arm. It didn't hurt, but it was annoying, so I raised my other And and started petting Aspen. He purred as well, but it was scratchy and unnatural.

"Aspen, are you trying to out-purr my familiar?" I gasped, amusement dancing in my mind.

Aspen grinned his sharp white teeth shining at me.

"Hey, Aspen, What should my familiar's name be?" I whispered, glancing over at the fox, settling herself underneath my arm, on the table.

Aspen growled and flopped on his side, his back towards me. I rolled my eyes, and the bell rang. Leon clapped his hands, and the familiars all darted up their human's arms, expect for the birds.

The students filed out, whilst Leon grabbed my shoulder leaving. I would be fine, but his face was deadly serious, unlike usually.

"Listen, Aurora." Leon spoke, his voice low. "Only a couple people have had two familiars in history. I worry about something, or someone," Leon glanced at the small window beside the classroom door. "coming after you. The thing about change here, is that no one wants it."

Leon grimaced, his eyes closed, "Be careful. Choose your friends wisely, and stay low when it comes to enemies."

He pushed me out of the classroom, my fox gracefully leaping onto the ground. That was weird, but true. I don't know how everybody will act when I'm supposedly more powerful or rare than them.

Some will be fine, and rather be weak then popular, but some... like Emile, might be a little more fiery.

I can trust Leon, and Ry.

But that's it. I told myself.

It's gonna be hard, getting this firepower under control.

But when it comes to restraint, I'm the master. 

Word Count: 1240