The Birth of a Ranger

Chapter Six

She had dropped to the ground, clutching at her ears and in clear pain. She could still hear those around her but the pain was encompassing her body. For anyone knowledgeable about a vampire they would know they don't experience pain unless in a fight. Their bodies heal quickly and given she just fed, she'd have an even stronger healing time than most other vampires who hadn't fed for a day or two.

Connor had rushed to her side and began to hold her by the shoulders and let out a cry in his tongue for a healer, a nearby Ranger taking off to find one. Yuki was now being held by her adoptive father who was whispering words to her that, through her pain, she just couldn't understand.

The Healer who ended up at Yuki's side took quick note of the lack of her fox ears and tails, as did her father and the Rangers around her. Such a thing was unheard of. Someone changing from one species to another was rare, if it ever happened and here Yuki was undergoing such a change that defied all logic and reason.

She lay there for several moments, if not closer to twenty minutes, before the pain began to die down and her hearing returned to her. "Yuki, Yuki can you hear me? Are you alright?" By this point she could tell she was being shook gently all the while she was struggling to come back to her senses while her ears rang.

Slowly but surely she rolled out of her father's lap and onto her hands and knees, her hands eventually making their way to her head from the ever growing headache. What had just happened to her? Her ears felt cold but a quick inspection of her ears would reveal they were human-like, her furry ears and even tail had gone away.

The ever growing attention of the crowd had gotten her attention and instead of dealing with it she pulled her hood up as quick as she could, smelling the blood that ran freely from her ears and even choosing to ignore it.

"I'm fine..." she muttered quietly

Connor must have seen her face because he was quick to look to the small crowd and began to issue orders. "It's fine, you all have practicing to do, yes? Go about your duties." There ended up being a lot more murmers than moving from the Rangers that surrounded them.

"Haven't you heard your Marshal?! Move out!" The Ranger that was adorned in actual armor was what eventually got the crowd to disperse. Much to Yuki's unseen amusement, they didn't seem to want to anger the man and began to move out, going about their daily lives within the fort.

"Yuki, you're bleeding." Connor had grabbed a bandage from the healer and gently dabbed at her ears. She could sense the confusion from everyone around her, mostly her father and she was just as, if not more confused than they.

"I know...I can smell it and feel it." She spoke quietly to her father.

Much to the annoyance of her father, if she were to guess, she shrugged as if it wasn't a big deal but it was indeed for more than one reason. She felt weak but didn't dare say anything. Instead she straightened her posture and pulled her hood back slightly while Connor wiped the blood away from her ears.

Yuki was quick to pick up her bow, ready to get back to practice but everything felt heightened. As far as she knew, she had only lost and not gained any features. Whatever was happening to her body was painful and draining her greatly.

"Connor, I...I'm confused..."

In that moment it was all she knew how to say. She had just been shoved down into a world of pain from her body and didn't know why. The sound of a nearby fire popping drew her attention, causing her to wince and tilt her head. "What is that noise?!" she spoke in a hushed whisper to her father, clearly going crazy from the new noises she could hear. Connor was quick to look at some nearby Rangers and have them douse part of the fire.