Glinting Silver

Chapter 11

"Juniper wake up! Wake up!"

My eyes flew open. Belle was calling my name and Kim was pumping my chest like they do when someone drowns. My vision was distorted, the colours darker and brighter than normal. I was wolf.

What happened? Why are you- Get off. I said, snapping at Kim. She stopped trying to resuscitate me and stepped away. I got to my paws and shook out my pelt.

"You stopped breathing." Bliss said, her face white with terror. I yawned. I was a bit short of breath, and felt like I had been asleep. Alistair had his arm around Kim's waist. I would tease them about it later.

I stopped... breathing? I asked numbly. The others nodded and Belle went to hug me. I pushed her off with my hind paws. My mind was reeling as I clambered to my paws. I had seen... I don't know what I had seen.

"June, your fazing out again."

I snapped awake and shook out my fur.

Domino is dying. I managed to get to him. He was in a broken house. He saw me... I whispered emotionlessly. Belle staggered slightly. It had just been confirmed that he was hit with the arrow.

We have to find him." I cried, my speech changing as I morphed to human. Kim gave me a bottle of something and I drank it.

"Where did you see him? Was it far off?" Bliss asked. My eyes widened as I remembered the subconscious sense of direction I had felt. It was like I was a compass, and Domino was north. I closed my eyes and spun until the feeling was strongest.

"That way." I whispered, breaking into a run. "Its a human village. No, a human city."

The others stared at me. I was testing something. I had tapped into Domino's world. Maybe I could break into his memories too. It had gotten easier that last time, and now I felt myself drift. My body fell back, my group catching me. Then I was gone.

Starling banged on the door. This had to be the one, I could see him hoping, praying. Behind him, Max was holding Domino, struggling under his weight. The door opened and a young man, no more than twenty, stood there.

He took one look at Domino and slammed the door. Starling yelled a word that I could only assume he had picked up from the humans. Max snarled and howled, turning wolf. I saw humans draw their curtains.

The door flew up again, and the man looked ready to explode.

"I have had it up to here with you three ringing doorbells in the middle of the night and upsetting the city!" he snapped. That stinking door started to close again, but Max threw himself against it. Starling started talking, gabbled speech.

"Please sir. No one else would take us in, and we don't know what to do. Our friend needs help." Starling babbled. I guess there was something about the sight of three dirty, skinny boys that melted the ice around that mans humanity.

"Call off your dog." the man said. He sounded calmer now. "Theres an empty shed down the street, you can stay there."

Max snarled at the word dog, but waited until the man was gone before lifting Domino as human and running, Starling following close behind. As soon as they had vanished from sight I ran to the mailbox. Then to the street sign.

Twenty-three Harbour Lane. Twenty-three Harbour Lane.

"Okay I got it!" I cried, sitting bolt upright. Kim was pumping me again and she went flying into a tree. Alistair was there in a second to help her. I scrambled up, struggling to catch my breath.

Then I began to run. My weird little compass sense was strong and I wanted to do stuff with it before it wore off.

I had my eyes closed and my mouth open slightly. Then Bliss called a warning, and I looked up.

Again with the cliff. We were on the edge of a cliff. In front of us were millions of little brick houses. It was just like a typical suburban town. I jumped off the cliff without a second thought.

The wind whistled through my ears, and I realised jumping off a cliff may not have been a good idea. I spun and kicked at the stone, launching myself forward. The people in that street saw a wolf fall from the sky and faceplant in the street.

As fast possible, I went back to human before anyone could see me. There were sift thuds on the pavement, showing the others had done what I had done. Then I just sauntered along the street.

Old habits die hard I guess. The pack fanned around me in a V shape, with me as the leader. I don't know what the humans thought of this, but doors and windows were locked, and some people were holding pocket knives.

"Touchy place." Belle remarked. I just shrugged. Up ahead was Harbour Lane. What had the man said? Down the street? Cool.

There was a small metal building that looked as if it had been thrown together from roof panels. Agonised moans drifted out and rang in my ears. The wall I had built between Domino's pain and mine was beginning to crumble.

But we pushed on. We became wolf as we ran, and slammed into the room, splintering the door. Starling and Max had out their knives and were hissing, making a defensive ring around something. I put one paw forward and snarled, my hackles rising.

Then the wall dissolved. All Domino's pain duplicated and ran into my mind. My paws buckled beneath me and I hit the ground hard. I wasn't even really hurting. I was just numb, all over. But my arm was flaming. I was being burned alive!

Then I saw Bliss touch Domino with her nose. Pain exploded in me and I screamed. The last thing I remembered seeing were Max and Starling's horrified faces as I spun into darkness.