Ruby's Heart, A Blue Moon Coven Chronicle

12. Prima Mutatio ~ {The First Change}

Only a vague recollection of Jacob carrying her to her personal yurt lingered in Ruby's thoughts before she was awakening to the warmth of Avia's valley. She laid upon her cheek, her belly to the soft downy mattress that was the center of her four-poster bed. Dreamless sleep was a rarity and a gift given that she could only open in the valley. Not every night would be dreamless, she had to learn and work and that was one of her specialties. 

Pale pink curtains flowed around the light breeze in her yurt. She'd attached them around the frame of her bed one summer during her fairy phase. Now they were topped with twinkling lights shaped like moons and stars as well as a very living Pothos plant. She called the pothos, Percy.  

Before Ruby opened her eyes she listened to the birds that made so much noise in the valley. She could hear a woodpecker with its outlandish call. There was the sound of a bird of prey, maybe a hawk, high above the yurt. She could hear the grunting of the little wild pigs that came around to look for scraps from the hut. The breeze was moving through the yurt and pushing at her light blanket to wake her up.

Ruby groaned a little when she realized she didn't smell bacon. Why was there no bacon smell? Where was the aroma of melting butter over fresh pancakes? She remembered then, today was her sixteenth birthday. Today she would try to shift for the first time.

Making all sorts of discontented noises to herself, Ruby flopped over in her bed. She knew that they would not begin until after sundown, so she had some time to think about the process. She'd been working on the mechanics of the whole thing in her mind for the better part of a year now. 

Avia wasn't certain that it could work. There was never a record of this sort of situation where a witch, wolf hybrid had two spirits within them. Whether or not shifting would be possible was unknown. Sometimes when Avia spoke of the possibility of error, Ruby would see her hands shake ever so slightly. Messing up, was not an option. She had visions of her body split into two differnt wolves at once and it was never a pretty sight.

If Ruby didn't have her head right, if she lost her confidence, mistakes could happen. Ruby thought about what would happen with error. She could blow herself up, maybe. Perhaps she'd inadvertently lock her magic down, but she never worried about that one. It was an easy fix. Ruby thought about all of these things. The misgivings, and possible stops too, all while making noises and flopping around in her bed.

"Ruby!"  Marny called to her daughter from someplace outside the yurt. "Ruby, if you are going to eat anything you need to do it now. You don't want to worry about vomit when you are trying to shift."

"GAH! Everyone else gets a new car, a vacation, a spa day for their sixteenth birthday! I get a protein shake and a painful transition! Yeah, baby!" The sarcasm laid over the floor of the yurt like a rug. Ruby Pulled herself from the bed and donned the white silky robe that hung beside it. After using the bathroom and washing her hands she left the yurt to see what torturous lack of a meal was being offered.

"Happy birthday my darling!" Marny wrapped her slender arms about Ruby, embracing her warmly under the canopy that was usually set up for buffets. "How did you sleep? Are you rested enough? If not, there is still time to take a small nap if you need it." Marny led Ruby over to a chair and settled her in it. 

"Thank you, Mama. I slept very well, I think I'm rested enough. It's less than half a day until sundown already. I think I can stay awake." Ruby sat back in the chair and smiled as she laid a cloth napkin over her lap.

Marny brought Ruby a tray that had a small pot of tea with a little glass cup. There were triangles of toast and a few slices of melon. She set it on Ruby's lap while smiling concertedly. The smile was not reflected in her eyes. Her gaze betrayed more concern than joy.