Page 12

NATURIAH

L ike Alphose planned, he got to the Wild Forest, made a half-shift, and presented his back to Ismena.

She swallowed the fear that rose to her throat at seeing him in a half-shift. After staying in Naturiah all this while, Ismena can't quite decide whick one scares her more; the half-shift form or the full-shift form.

In half-shift; the changeling grows a foot taller like a giant, his size enlarges, his fingers turn to claws, sharp fangs replace teeth and hair covers almost every part of their body. Their face takes on their animal features too.

Alphose turned and fixed her with green eyes that were gentle instead of aggressive. "Do not be scared, Ismena, and get on." His voice is a growl, so much deeper than usual. Almost all animal.

She swallowed visibly. An image of her sister formed in her head, lying down in the hospital unconscious, being operated on, and fighting for her life.

Eyes closed, she covered the distance between her small form and the giant Alphose in half-shift. He bent a bit and she began climbing him like a tree. When she got to the top, she wrapped her arms around his neck. That was when she allowed herself to open her eyes again.

She took comfort in his fur. So soft, it was soothing. It reminded her of that night she'd taken this position in a half-shifted Wolfariane’s back.

What a memorable night that was.

"Are you ready?" Came the growl of Alphose.

She nodded her head vigorously. Her arms tightened around his neck.

He took off at a dead run.

One second, there was no motion, just stillness.

The next second, everywhere burst with movements. Ismena gasped, feeling like she's in one of the fastest cars in the world.

The wind whipped around her, running through her blond hair until they rose from her back in their effort to meet the wind. It also made her eyes water.

She closed her eyes, rested her head on his back, and prayed to anything and everything that her sister will be fine.

They got to the hospital in the wee hours of the morning.

It would have been sooner if Alphose had run all the way, but they didn't. Instead, he'd shifted back when they were well into the States, and told her that they had to take the train for the rest of the journey. He might get sighted if he runs any further.

Finally, at the hospital, Ismena gave him a grateful smile. "Thank you so much. "

"You are welcome." He returned with a small smile of his own, half-heartedly pulling his blonde hair behind his ears. "Remember, we are going to avoid questions from your family, so I will not go in with you. I will stay in the vicinity while you are with your family."

"Yes, I know."

"Good. Let us get inside, the earlier, the better."

She nodded, before running off into the gates of the hospital. He followed behind her closely.

A few minutes later, Ismena entered her sister's bedroom. Her mother's eyes sprang open at the sound of the door opening, relief quickly spread through her face when she saw it was Ismena.

"Oh, my daughter! Oh, Mena! I've been so worried when you didn't get here early." She cried in a whisper as she rushed to her daughter and wrapped her up in a frantic hug.

"I was held up, I needed to take care of some things." Quickly, she added, "How is Tina?"

Her mother pulled away from her, giving her room to get a better view of her surroundings. Valentina was lying on the bed a few feet away from them, her eyes closed, her breathing labored.

"The surgery went well." The relief in Amelia's voice was blatant, "The doctor said she is not yet out of danger, so she's going to be staying at the hospital for a few more days."

"Oh, thank God for the surgery. I was so scared...!" Tears filled Ismena's eyes, but she blinked hard to keep them at bay. "I'm so happy that it went well."

She walked to her sister and surveyed her closely. Valentina's pale blonde hair rested around her head, she doesn't need anybody to tell her that her mother has been brushing them occasionally just to soothe herself that her daughter is still alive.

"Me too, Mena. I was so scared too...I'm still scared," she amended, "but I'm feeling better now. It was excruciatingly terrifying waiting here, my heart in my throat because I don't want them to come tell me my daughter has died. Like they did with you."

"Me?" Sitting beside her sister's bed, she faced her mother, "They told you I was dead?" She asked incredulously.

Amelia hesitated.

Then, she nodded her head vigorously. "Eighteen years old. And they didn't lie. You died... My daughter stopped breathing."

"Oh my..." Ismena knew what happened to her when she was eight was very horrible with the way her parents always reacted to it, but she never thought she actually died.

"You must have been so afraid... I'm sorry, mama." No wonder her mother is so paranoid.

Amelia came and sat beside her, taking her hand in hers. "No, you don't have to apologize, it wasn't your fault. I was grateful when you suddenly started breathing again. You have no idea what you did for me then."

"I just started breathing again?"

"Yes. The doctors had covered your face, ready to wheel you to the morgue, but your father had rushed into the hospital, needing to see you. That was so fortunate because the doctors stopped. He began talking to you and screaming at you not to go." Amelia's eyes glazed over with memories .

She smiled, "My heart melted for him then.

You know after your father died, I was heartbroken.

I swore that I'll never marry another man.

All the while Alfred came on to me, I didn't feel a thing for him so I rejected his advances.

But then, you...got sick. He stayed night and day with me in the hospital.

I never knew what I would have done if I had to face your. ..sickness alone."

Ismena smiled too, feeling grateful to her stepdad. She has never thought of him as her stepdad, or Valentina as her stepsister, because they all loved each other so much. They might have never had enough growing up, but they were a family.

"And that day in the hospital when he was screaming at you not to leave me, I started having feelings for him.

And when you heard that scream and began breathing again, a piece of my heart went to him.

" Closing her eyes, Amelia took a deep breath and finished with a whisper, "That was one of the best days of my life. ..watching you come back to me."

Ismena placed her head on her mother's chest then and allowed the warmth to spread over her as Amelia's arms wrapped around her. "I love you, mama."

"I love you too, my child." Amelia responded, patting her hair soothingly.

At forty-five, her mother is a stunning beauty to behold, but fear for Valentine's life seems to have aged her a bit. Ismena was happy that her sister will be alright.

"Speaking of father, where is he?" She asked curiously.

Just then, the door opened and her father walked in, carrying nylon bags. Just like mother, he looked like he hasn't slept a wink all night.

His eyes found Ismena and a bright smile widened his mouth, warmth in his eyes. "My child. "

Ismena pulled away from her mother to hug her father, "Dad." She whispered.

"I went out to get supplies and food for us. Your mother hasn't eaten a thing since yesterday's afternoon. She needs to eat something."

"Yeah, she needs to." Ismena spared her mother a stern glance, "Starving yourself will do us no good, mother."

Amelia flushed guiltily but placed her head on her husband's thigh. "You are right. With my two children here, I'm suddenly feeling ravenous."

NEW YORK

Wolfaraine woke to the growl of his cougar. As usual, he was in cougar-form, seeing the ceiling of his bedroom in green colors.

Inwardly, he effortlessly willed himself to shift back to his mortal form. Sitting up on the bed, he tried not to let the restlessness of the cougar affect him, knowing fully well that he is long overdue for sex, a run, a hunt, or a fight. In this case, a run.

He did not think much about the growling and snapping of his cougar because he knows that side of him has been grumpy for a while now. It only became worse when he came back to his home the night before.

This house which was his most favorite of all his houses scattered almost all over the world, has become his most loathed. It reminded him vividly of his last memories of happy Nalaila before doom befell them, in this house .

This house eats at him because he is unable to hide his guilt of being unable to protect his sister, eighteen years ago, in this house. That was why he'd stayed in a hotel for the past week.

But, even though this house haunts him, he could not resist coming to it. Even as much as it haunts him, it also made his memories of his sister in human form come alive. Here, he could almost see her face again through the memories.

The cougar flexed and unflexed its claws, baring his fangs. Wolfaraine rose from the bed and shrugged his robe on.

He needs a run. The cougar's restlessness is starting to get to him. He felt like there are eyes on him.

Shrugging it off as the result of the cougar's uneasiness, he made his way out of the bedroom and started down the stairs.

He was at the bottom of the stairs when he felt it again. Eyes.

Eyes, watching him.

He was going to look past it again when the wolf rose, its claws elongated and it roared in rage. Wolfaraine knew it then with certainty.

Intruders.

Wolf Hunters.

His eyes darkened in rage, but that was the only visible change he had. He was still calm as ever as he strode unhurriedly out of his house to the vicinity of his huge mansion.

"Every one of you should take cover." He commanded without raising his voice. It was as if he just spoke out loud to himself.

But the three sentinels near the woods heard the command. They are the only changeling guards closest to where he stood, which in human standard, is too far away to hear the command. But then again, they are not humans.