[IC] The Destined Ones

[Riven Wight]

Prologue

Two Weeks Ago

In A Crevice Between Realms

The rumble of arcane words shook through the utter darkness. Power unlike any Salzen had felt for millennia stirred in his chest, arousing him from the agonizing, eternal slumber he had been banished to ages past. A long, deep groan broke the ear-splitting silence, the sound vibrating in his chest as the incantation grew louder.
Two glowing eyes, one entirely a deep red and the other a sky blue with a white spiral for a pupil, opened, both filled with a maliciously joyful spark. He blinked slowly, and the colors swapped eyes.
Around him, the enchanted earth that had been his prison began to tremble as another voice joined the first, and then a third. They spoke together as one, the strength of the incantation intensifying.
With a series of cracks and the clatter of rocks falling and colliding with the narrow walls of the In-Between crevice, a sinuous line of light formed above him, tearing the darkness into two and shattering the maddening silence with the sound of the earth pulling apart.
“At last,” he whispered, his voice hoarse from lifetimes of lying dormant. A smile spread over his face as the chanting neared its end.
He inhaled through a long, slender nose, closed his eyes, and crossed his arms over his chest as his form began to rise toward the crack in a slow spiral.
“Freedom.” He drew out the word as his body shot toward the light, toward those who had sealed him in this forsaken prison. Toward the world of Htrea.
At long last, vengeance would be his to take, and he would see to it that the worlds would bow to him.

On Earth and In Htrea

The very foundation of the worlds shook. Earthquakes stirred all around both worlds, the worst of it hitting Htrea with a vengeance and creating various tsunamis in even the most peaceful of waters. The occurrences baffled both Earth’s seismologists and Htrea’s Landwatchers as the earth quivered fearfully in parts of the worlds that had never before seen an earthquake.
On Earth, people became frantic, even crazed, in the ensuing couple weeks as aftershocks still occasionally struck the planet worldwide, their intensity, thankfully, decreasing over time. Many blamed the government, boisterous rumors of various conspiracies forming around the unnatural events that no scientist could give a sound explanation for, while yet others proclaimed the end was neigh. Crime rates escalated. Everyone was on edge, as if a change had occurred not only within the depths of the earth, but in the very air they breathed.
In Htrea, things were only that much worse. Not a day went by without multiple quakes being reported. Platoons of mysterious knights began sprouting up throughout every continent, bringing with them death and destruction. A fear settled over the land like a plague and hung heavily in the atmosphere. Crimes against humans grew to a record high. For those who could use it, even the ancient magic that flowed through the world felt slightly different, more testy than usual.
But to two young people, one residing on Earth and the other in Htrea, the atmosphere was nauseating. Deep down, no matter how hard they tried to ignore it, something nagged at them, something that went deeper than the chaos ensuing around them. What, exactly, was neigh impossible to say. If they had not known of their abilities before, now it felt like they were going into overdrive, as if even their powers knew something was coming, something they themselves could not yet grasp. But one thing was certain: whatever the gut-wrenching feeling meant, it could only bode ill for them.

A Note to Start

Present Day

In A Small Htrean Town
Not Far From the Capital City Ekal Tlas

The warm sunlight shown down on a small lake, glittering on the ripples as if nothing else in the world mattered, as if, in this small corner of the world, all was safe. A couple teenagers braved dipping their feet in the cold water, while others watched from the safety of the shore as they walked the lake.
Despite the chill of late fall in the air, Zaris Hollowmire sat on a low-hanging branch, bare-chested. His platinum hair, which fell just below his ears, was as unruly as ever, and the daylight hit the four long scars running the length of his left arm just right to make them stand out against his fair skin. He had one foot with his knee bent on the branch, the other dangling below him, and his back against the rough trunk of the tree. He had his eyes closed, lost in thought. He basked in the peace of the place, and the security being with his friends brought him, keeping the foreboding feeling that had hung over him in a cloud as of late at bay.
As the crinkle of the girl turning a page of her book reached him, Zaris looked down at the her, but she paid him no attention. He cocked his head, readjusted himself on the branch so both his legs dangled away from the lake, then swung his upper body downward, his knees bent over the branch.
He grinned as he noticed the girl scowl.“Watchya reading, doll?”
The black-haired girl slowly tore her gaze from her book to cast Zaris a glare.
“I swear,” the girl growled, “if you call me ‘doll’ one more time, I’ll put a hex on you to make your tongue fall off.”
“And here I thought they only taught you to use your magic for good.” He made a tisking noise and let his arms drape toward the browning grass. “Such bad examples those teachers of yours must be.”
He looked up as a another girl with long, wavy blond locks approached, the bottom of her skirts darkened from dampness. She clutched part of her skirts in her hands, trying to keep them from brushing the ground and exposing her bare feet in the process.
“Araina!” Zaris spread his arms wide as she neared, the fingers of one hand tapping the leather binding of the book the black-haired girl held, and making her scowl. “You won’t make my tongue fall out, will you?”
Araina paused, her brows furrowing in confusion. “Why would I want to make your tongue fall out?”
“Because he’s an obnoxious imp,” the black-haired girl muttered as she scooted away from Zaris.
“Aww, I like you too, Kara.” Zaris tilted his head so Kara appeared right-side-up. “You’re so good to me.”
“Shut up.” Kara bent closer to the pages of her book.
“Oy!” a blond-haired boy who resembled Araina in many ways called from where the girl had left him by the lake, his pants rolled up to his knees and the sleeves of his shirt likewise bunched up around his elbows, showing off his tan skin. “Afraid of a little cold water, Zaris?”
“How dare you insinuate such a thing, Sir!” He said ‘sir’ mockingly as he swung himself upright, turned to face the lake, and crouched on the branch, a hand on the trunk to steady himself.
“Look at you, all snug and completely dry on land. Too chicken to get even your feet wet!” The boy stepped back into the shallow part of the water, his hands in his armpits as he waved his elbows and made a few clucking sounds.
Zaris laughed. “I think you just offended every chicken in a ten mile radius! But, if it’s wet you want...” A mischievous grin spread over his face as he readied to spring from the branch. His silvery eyes changed to a swirling opal as air gathered around him. He sprung, the element shooting him over the lake in a rush of air that made the pages of Kara’s book flutter violently.
“GERONIMO!” Zaris shouted as he angled himself for a swan dive toward the water, the air around him building up as he fell. Just before he hit the frigid water, he heard the boy shout a quick, “Oh, crap!” as he turned to run from the lake. But it was too late.
The moment Zaris and the gale surrounding him hit the water, the liquid spewed up around him, creating a miniature tidal wave that cascaded over the land and drenched everything within four yards of the shoreline.
When he was about half way down, the water sucked in around him, encompassing his bare-chested body in a shocking cold. The liquid swirled about around him in the bit of air that survived within the depths. Using his natural instincts when it came to using his abilities, he directed the air beneath him to help push him to the top of the lake.
But then, the earth around the lake quaked, sending a violent ripple through the water. It knocked both him and his air aside, and a current sucked at his feet, pulling him further down as the earth rumbled.
He instinctively tried to gasp as he was jerked downward, and water burned in his lungs. Mustering all his strength, he held his hands out beside him, and called on the water, his eyes turning a murky shade of blue. For a terrifying second, nothing happened as he tried to kick his way toward the surface against the undulating waters. As his lungs burned furiously for air and adrenaline pumped through his body in a panicked frenzy, the undercurrents rushed around him and aided in working with him, instead of against him, carrying him toward the surface and the shallow portion of the lake.
Coughing and sputtering, he broke the surface quicker than he expected, his arms flailing slightly and hair flying back with a wet spray as he shot to his waste above the water, then bobbed back down. Zaris’ friends ran toward the lake to meet him, calling his name, all of them drenched from his little show. When he was capable of standing, Zaris trudged the rest of the way into the shallows, his legs shaky, then collapsed onto the rocky shore, the water filling his ears.
“Zaris!” Kara reached him first, her eyes wide and her words muffled by the water in his ear canals. “Are you okay?”
“Aww,” he said giving her a weak smile, his lungs still burning slightly from the water that had irked them. “You do care!”
Her worried expression turned to a scowl. “You owe me a new book, you beef-witted wart!” She gave him a gentle kick to the side as he propped himself up on his arms.
The brown-haired boy and Araina had just reached him, and a couple others around his age hurried from the opposite side of the lake.
“Was it just me,” Zaris paused to cough, “or was that quake worse than the last one?”
“It was worse,” Araina said softly, wringing her hands together.
“C’mon, dingbat.” Kara pulled at Zaris’ arm to help him to his feet. “We need to check the town.”
“Damage assessments, here we come!” Zaris said in a sarcastically cheery voice. All the same, he took the lead as his group of friends raced toward town. Worry settled in him as he thought of his mother, and the ever persistent feeling that something was wrong, something he could not place no matter how ardently he tried, twisting at his gut and making an involuntary rush of wind stir up around him, egging him to run faster.

[StarfrostedFox]

Fresh powdery snow was beginning to drift in fat flakes from the underside of thick iron grey clouds hanging low in the sky, Coding the already snowy landscape with an unblemished layer of white. Between the snow, the frosty temperatures, and the way that each breath fogged in the air in front of mouths and noses, mother nature was giving the impression that winter was arriving early, though autumn's glory and warmer temperatures were still clinging desperately on the valley floor. Yet higher on the mountain's shoulders and head, winter was beginning to cling unforgivingly to the landscape.

Though it was only the middle of the day, everything seemed to be suspended in an early evening glow. Far below the looming clouds, two wolves threaded their way across the fresh powder in a winding line that threaded through the trees of the mountain forest, their lithe figures expertly maneuvering around snow laden bushes and frosty trunks, ears perked as they both seemed to be listening to a group of younger wolves farther ahead of them. Puffs of white fog erupted from their open muzzles as They kept up a steady ground eating lope, pink tongues lolling out as they panted With the exertion.

The Larger leading wolf Was a shaggy thick coated male, his fur as blindingly white as the surrounding snow, but changed abruptly to black along each of his legs from shoulder and hip down to his toes and the majority of his face, save for the fringes of his cheeks and the top of his forehead, the color fading slightly closer to the edges, becoming a dark grey. A pale grey stripe also ran from the base of his skull to the middle of his tail, this raised high in the air behind him.

His companion Was a smaller and lithly Built creature, with ample Amounts of fluffy white fur That made her appear bigger then she actually was. But splashed unevenly across her back in a saddle pattern, tipping her bushy tail, And splashed onto each of her paws and ears As well as a streak above her pink nose were spots of reddish brown. Then, As if this hadn't been enough, it appeared as if someone had taken paint the exact same shades Of her coat And randomly splattered the opposite color with speckles, creating a multitude of rusty speckles in her white areas and a handful of white within the red. If the way her tail kept waving In the air behind her was any indication, her personality was as sweet as the powdered sugar her fur resembled. At least, she was as much as she could, despite being a werewolf. Vivid gold eyes Sparkling with bright excitement, She somehow managed to bounce Forward and playfully nip at the end of The tail in front of her, erupting Into mental giggles as it brought her companion to an abrupt halt, his icy blue gaze falling on her And staring disapprovingly.

"Cassidy," he projected his thoughts sharply into her mind, releasing a loud huff, "This is no time to be playing games. You're old enough to know that, especially-" His ears turned back against his head as this resulted in further giggles that interrupted him, definitely not the result he had been hoping for. A small crease formed along his forehead, Making him look more worried than anything, especially not the anger that he felt bubbling up.

Briefly baring her white teeth in a wolfish Version of a grin, Cassidy seemed thoroughly unfazed as she bounced forward once again and swiped her tongue across the puckering in his forehead, probably because she knew she could out run the larger male if she needed to, The idea making her tail wiggle happily. "Aw, my dear brother Hutch," she chirped as she plopped her rump in the snow And began to create her own version of a snow angel with her bushy Appendage., "You're just grumpy because we have to plow through fresh snow." Her fur puffed up a little as she saw him open his mouth to refute her statement and she quickly added, "and the fact that no fresh game has shown up for the youngsters to prove themselves with." At this, she tilted her head in the direction of the three younger wolves, freshly turned and looking to prove themselves on a first hunt.

Hutch shut his muzzle With a soft click of his teeth, ears lifting Slowly as he regarded his Younger sister. She may not have been his full sibling, his father having found a new mate after his own mother had died, but she somehow had a softening effect On him that couldn't deny his fondness for her. Her near perpetual sphere of happiness was just a bonus he was going to have to live with. At least, that was her opinion. Despite this, it didn't stop the small snort that escaped him in a cloud Of white. "I'm just... worried... What if I completely mess up this whole hunting assessment? I don't understand why our father asked the Alpha to give me this sort of assignment. I don't really... Connect with anyone else. ."

Cassidy's eyes lit up as if she had just accomplished something very difficult. Her brother didn't normally come out of his shell and admit so readily that he was worried, not even to her. "Exactly! You're so down and stressed that I can't help it. You should be happy that Father has spoken so highly of you to Thatcher. The Alpha is showing trust in the opinion of his second and in turn is trusting you with something very important. He would never trust me with something as major as testing young werewolves... Maybe he is trying to give you confidence to try and move up in the ranks." Cassidy piped cheerfully, Jumping up to her paws and shaking out her coat vigorously, dislodging any snow that had had the thought to hitchhike. "Why deny a bit of sunshine?" She asked brightly, once again turning towards the distant recruits and starting off at a trot, her tail held high.

After a moment, Hutch bounded After her retreating figure, gently biting at her neck as he passed by, prompting them into both running again. "The sun is covered up today Cass." He said with one of his rare chuckles.

"Exactly why it is called for!" The she wolf said in a matter of fact tone. "There's nothing quite like the happiness you get from making your brother forget his worries momentarily." Her head tilted back slightly, her mental laughter strong enough that a barking version of the noise escaped her maw, bubbling up towards the sky.

"well if you want that happiness to continue, you better shut your mouth before you scare off all the prey on the entire mountain." Hutch growled over his shoulder, receiving a cheeky and completely silent grin in return that made him shake his head ruefully, but smile softly when he was sure his sister couldn't see him doing so. Unbeknownst to him, she did see it, and it made her tail wag.

But soon, sooner than she would have liked, Cassidy found Hutch sinking back into his surly mood from earlier, his thoughts drifting back into all of his concerns. She caught the hint of his thoughts in her mind through the connection with the pack, worrying that if Cassidy was right and their father was trying to push him into challenging for a higher rank, a fight between them would break out inevitably. He wasn't concerned with rising in the pack hierarchy, content with living his life in the middle, showing his dominance just enough to not attract an endless amount of fights, but not giving into the pressure of becoming submissive and sinking to the bottom of the pack where he would be guaranteed to end up The target of someone else's frustration. This thread of thoughts, impressions, and observations she herself had made was enough to put a slight damper on Cassidy's good mood. Growl rumbling silently in her throat, the white and rust werewolf pushed herself up onto the crest of a low hill after her brother, coming to a slow stop as the land fell away before them in a sheer cliff that looked out over an indentation within the side of the mountain. Releasing a slow controlled sigh, Cassidy flickered her thoughts towards the new wolves, tasting some of the disappointment and anticipation from the emotions that they had yet to learn to keep from leaking over their thoughts with every connection. With that touch, she was reminded of her task to help her brother make sure the first hunt went smoothly and keep his spirits up. With a renewed hopefulness, she gave her tail a brief wag, body turning away from the cliff and plunging back into the forest after her brother.

Hours had seemed to drag by as the wolves had steadily threaded their way down the mountain side, searching for prey that had fled from the storm. It wasn't until they were nearly to the ground level when they discovered a herd of deer grazing on tender shoots of grass, The younger wolves excitedly working together haphazardly to separate a large buck from the others, Hutch doing his best to guide their actions with comments and images, gaining additional insights after prompting Cassidy to do so. Finally, as the clouds in the sky were beginning to Break apart and lighten to a pale grey tinged with gold, Cassidy felt a surge of pride from her brother as they watched the trio of newcomers overcome the struggling deer, The animal sinking to the ground amidst a mass of grey and brown fur.

Unexpectedly, the Black and white werewolf turned his head to look down at her, shuffling his paws. "can I trust you to watch them until I return?" He asked her, an expression of surprise crossing her face at the sudden request before she nodded once.

"where are you going?" Cassidy queried curiously, tilting her head to one side.

Hutch seemed to be thinking quickly, shutting down his mental connection tightly so that only his words were able to come across, already turning towards the forest. "I am going to check the border while we're here, give the young ones a chance to enjoy their first kill without me watching over their shoulders.

Cassidy forced the look of confusion that had been coloring her expression to fade away at his words, giving the impression that she had completely bot his excuse. She blinked her golden eyes at him once before she sank to her haunches in the snow free grass, turning her attention back to the feast. One last thought was sent his way as Hutch vanished into the trees. "be safe. Then Hutch tightly closed off even words from his thoughts and she was left alone with the three new wolves happily gorging themselves on their fresh kill.

With her brother gone, Cassidy was no longer able to divert all of her attention to making sure he was relatively happy. And with the hunt completed, she also couldn't focus on making sure that the task from the Alpha was being pursued either. As a result, she was left to gradually return to an awareness of a distinctly unsettled feeling turning within her stomach, making her feel uncomfortable, nervous, and somewhat nauseous all at the same time. It was as if her subconscious was trying to tell her something, warn her of something that was wrong, but she couldn't quite place her finger, or toe, on The particular dilemma. Heaving a deep sigh, Cassidy had just begun to consider spreading out on her belly when the ground beneath her paws began to tremble and shake.

'Not another one! There aren't even any fault lines here!' Cassidy thought frantically, digging her partially retractable claws into the ground for stabilization.

" Cassidy! Are you all right?" Hutch's Voice suddenly flooded back into her mind, worry coloring his tones.

"I... I'm fine. Are you all right?" she responded quickly.

"All in one piece. And the others?"

"We're fine. Scott hit his nose on the ground and Jared and I fell over. But nothings broken." One of the new wolves spoke up, A large chocolatey brown male with a cream colored patch over one eye. If her memory served her right, Cassidy thought his name was Luke.

..."Good. Go with Cassidy and start heading back to the truck... Will head back for the house to make sure that none of the rest of the pack have been injured." Hutch instructed, each of the wolves besides Cassidy dipping their heads in acknowledgment and turning towards her.

The She wolf nodded her head once sharply before taking point and beginning the run back towards Cottonwood Canyon her thoughts turning towards her mother and father, her pack and her friends. 'Please let everyone be safe.' she thought silently as she and the other wolves ran hard through the snow.

[Riven Wight]

In Htrea...

Clouds quickly rolled in, casting a gray film over the world. An icy breeze blew against Zaris’ platinum hair as he ran, the white strands still plastered to his face and beads of water dripped down his skin. He split his concentration as he instinctively navigated the path leading to their village, pulling out the cold water soaking his pants with a few movements of his hands. The liquid formed large, dirtied globs that hung in the air around him for a second before splashing to the ground. Alas, the chill that ran through him stemmed from far more than the cold of the water and the drop in temperature.
Though he knew well of the predators that lurked within the forest, that there was little to worry about during the daylight hours, if even by night, he glanced to the trees as paranoia stepped down his spine. For a fleeting second, Zaris felt as if someone was watching him. But the feeling passed as quickly as it had come when the first signs of their village came into view.
Smoke billowed upward in inviting clouds from chimneys, promising that a fire burned inside. The tallest of the houses were no more than two stories. Every building within sight was created by various combinations of stones, daub, thatching, and shale shingles. The earth-packed streets were alive with activity. People ran through the roads, some carrying buckets or boards, or hurrying toward friends and family to check for injuries. Many voices shouted to each other. Pigs and chickens ran in a panicked frenzy in packs. A few younger children and adults ran after the escaped animals, trying to catch them to the sounds of panicked clucking, irate squeals, and Zaris was sure, the lowing of a cow somewhere out of sight.
As soon as the group of teenagers entered the town’s boarder, the gathering dispersed as they went to check on their families. As Zaris ran, air burst beneath his steps, quickening his pace as he rushed to the opposite end of the village. He passed many houses with shattered windows, the glass laying in jagged shards on the ground, and a few walls now sported cracks.
“Zaris!”
The boy slid to a stop at the deep voice, the wind at his feet kicking up a spray of loose dirt and rocks. He spun around, and found Cage, the local blacksmith, waving him down, the sleeves of his shirt rolled up above his massive arms.
“She’s at the Groshill’s!” The blacksmith pointed toward the east.
Zaris gave a quick nod in thanks, turned from the Cage, and hurried on his way, veering toward the east side of the village.
Soon after the houses thinned, he stumbled to a halt at the last two-story home at the edge of the village, a large field expanding behind it. A couple other wooden buildings were visible beyond, and a fence surrounded the house.
Before he could race up the steps to the front door, shattered glass from the window beside it glittering in the dull sunlight filtering through the clouds, another voice made him stop.
“Zaris!” the relieved, tender voice of his mother called as the woman rounded from the side of the house. A woman somewhere in her thirties, she clutched the sides of her layered, colorful skirts in her hands, and her dirty blond hair sat atop her head in a disheveled bun.
“Mom!” Zaris altered his course once more, easily jumping the fence separating him from his adoptive mother, Kraya. He gripped her shoulders and held her at arms-length, checking for any signs of injury. “Are you hurt?”
“I’m fine, love.” The woman brushed Zaris’ hands away and pulled him into a tight hug.
Zaris gladly returned the gesture.
“Are you alright?” It was her turn to hold him out and look him over. “Your friends? You’re going to catch your death, love, without a shirt in this weather! According to the Skykeepers, it’s going to snow tonight.”
“I’m fine. We’re all fine.” With his mother in good health, Zaris’ body relaxed, and he gave her a lopsided smile. “Wet, but fine.” He glanced to the farmhouse. “Any idea what kind of damage we’re looking at yet? Looked like the animals finally decided to try getting their residency here.”
Kraya made a clicking sound with her tongue and placed her hands on her hips, her mouth pulling down.
“A few fences fell. Or were trampled.” The woman sighed and looked to an open horse corral as a man with graying red hair and dressed in dirt-caked clothes tried to soothe the whinnying horses inside. “And the roof of their barn caved in. Other than that,” she looked back to her son, “you’ve probably seen as much as I have.”
“What about our place?”
“A few broken plant pots, and a couple cracked windows. We got lucky.”
Zaris gave a relieved sigh. “Where’d it originate from this time?”
“I’m not a Landwatcher, love.” She placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, the boy already a few inches taller than her. “But I’m sure it’ll be on one of tonight’s magCasts. Now, go make yourself useful. See if you can’t help fix Mr. Groshill’s fences so we can have somewhere to put the runaway animals. I’ve already spoken to him about it.”
Zaris’ shoulder slumped as he let out a long groan.
“Moaning about it won’t get it done, love!” Despite Kraya’s stern expression, her hazel eyes shone warmly.
“The guy’s got it out for me!”
Kraya laughed. “I’m sure if you don’t wave your little necklace around and tell him it’ll turn his pigs into two-headed monkeys, you two will get along just fine.”
“Rabid two-headed monkeys,” Zaris corrected, looking to the ground to try hiding a grin. “And it’s not my fault he’s a superstitious old geezer.”
“Zaris!”
“Kidding!” He raised his hands beside him defensively. “Left it at home, anyway.”
“Then there shouldn’t be a problem, should there?”
“I could make a temporary sty,” Zaris offered through a sigh. “Until we get a fence fixed.”
Kraya hesitated. “Are you sure you can do that? Something large enough to work—”
“Will be a cinch. I told you.” Zaris flexed a hand in front of him. “They’ve been stronger lately.”
“And more out of control.” She looked at him with her usual worried, tight-lipped expression. “You need to be extra careful, Zaris.”
Her unusually stern, grave tone and the flash of unease that flitted through her gaze made the light-hearted comment Zaris had opened his mouth to give die on his tongue.
“Okay,” he said instead, his brows furrowing slightly. “I will.”
Kraya eyed him for a moment, as if searching for any sign of deception, then nodded. “Good. I’ll let Bryce,” she gestured toward the farmer with a nod of her head, “know what you’re doing, then gather some villagers to help round up the livestock.”
“Yee haw!” Zaris raised an arm and made a circle with it, twirling an invisible lasso above his head.
“Alright, cowboy.” Kraya smiled at him. “Find a place, and get to work.” She turned from him and took a couple steps toward the horse corral.
Zaris headed toward a large expanse of field, but stopped and looked back to his mother.
“Hey, Mom?” He waited for her to look to him. “Are you sure everything’s okay? Besides the obvious.”
Kraya gave him another smile, only this one was smaller, less sincere. “I’m fine, love. Now get to work before I make you chase down the Hampton’s bull instead!”
Zaris’ eyes widened. “Already working!” he said as he pointed toward the field with both pointer fingers and turned, one foot getting the memo before the rest of his body.
He hurried to roughly the middle of his chosen area. He surveyed the land around him, glancing to his mother as she reached Bryce, then took a couple backwards steps. He held his hands out in front of him, making the motions of framing the area. Noticing Bryce looking at him, Zaris stopped to wave at him, smiling brightly at the man’s dour expression.
The man waved the boy off and turned to a horse, which had calmed since Zaris last looked.
Zaris caught his mother’s eye as she turned to leave. Even from their distance, he could see her stern look, a last warning to be careful. He bowed with a flourish, which earned him a half-smile and a roll of her eyes before the woman hurried to the road.
Once she was out of sight, Zaris looked to the field around him, examining the browning grass. Rather, the earth from which it grew. Though earth was one of his weaker elements, that little fact was one he refused to let get in his way. To contain the animals, he would have to make walls that were high enough to keep chickens from jumping out, and thick enough to prevent pigs from easily digging themselves out. And all without causing further destruction to the already unstable ground.
Zaris placed a hand contemplatively to his mouth for a moment.
He knelt down and placed a hand on the prickly grass. He shivered as a gentle wind blew through the field and caressed his bare shoulders and back, reminding him of the winter season lurking behind the dying plants. Taking a deep breath and trying to focus on the earth instead of the wind, he closed his eyes and probed the soil beneath his hand with his mind.
Though it almost felt as if it resisted him at first, scarcely a second later it welcomed him like a forgotten friend. His mind delved into the element, searching for any sign that moving the dirt and rock around him would cause any damage. The cold of the mid-afternoon faded, replaced by something between a warmth and a comfortable chill of earth that had yet to concede to the temperatures above ground. His powers reached further than he had wanted, giving him a jagged mental image of the area around him.
The ground here felt stable enough.
Slowly, Zaris pulled his mind from the ground beneath him enough to be aware of his surroundings for himself, and not through the eyes of the earth. Still, he maintained his connection, the voice of the element a soft and steady pull, beckoning for him to be as much a part of it as it was of him.
His gaze slightly distant, he stood and looked to the ground a couple yards from him. If he payed close enough attention, he could sense Bryce’s footsteps on the earth like a gentle pressure, could feel the vibrations of the frantic hoof-beets from the horses across the property.
“That’s not what I need right now,” he muttered, both to himself and the element. He could almost feel the earth’s disappointment. Still, it felt eager to do his bidding.
Exhaling, he raised a hand in front of him as a concentration aid, and planted his heels into the ground. Commanding the earth with both hand and mind, the earth around him shifted. It bulked up in one area, moving layers of grass, dirt, and rock into a thick mound. As it grew, he raised his other hand, and the mound slowly began to form a wide circle, drawing in the ground from around and beneath it. As the spot where he started reached around seven feet in height—just for good measure—he turned in a slow circle, doing his best to abide by his promise to be careful, as much as it pained him, and as much as the element called to him to let it flow freely through him, to use it to its fullest potential.
A few times, the earth bucked unnervingly in excitement, once making him stumble to his knees and lose concentration for a second, causing a cloud of gravely soil to burst up and send a heavy rain over him. The chill of the day was a distant memory, a bead of sweat rolling down the side of his face. Though nowhere near as quickly as he would have liked, a couple minutes after he had started, he lowered his hands and looked around with a contented smile at the thick ring of earth he had created.
With a heavy exhale, he crossed his arms, proud of the wall he had made. Now he just had to get out of it. He strutted toward a part of his earthy, grassy wall and made a punching motion toward it. The earth crumbled open, creating an oval just wide enough for him to exit. Once he was out, with a silent command, the wall reformed itself into a thick, solid structure.
Almost reluctantly, Zaris released his hold over the element. The world around him--the world above and beyond the earth--became clearer, and yet duller at the same time before his senses evened themselves out, including the sensation of his stomach growling.
He gave a satisfied nod at his handiwork, then stretched his arms above his head. He inhaled through his teeth as a sharp prick ran the length of his left arm, following the four, pale scars that ran from his shoulder to beneath his wrist. He pulled his arm down and ran his other hand over the scars, the pain turning into a slight twinge.
“Huh,” he muttered. It had been years since the confounded thing had acted up. He had long since thought those days were over.
With an annoyed sigh, he walked around his wall toward the farmhouse. He stopped and looked to the horses as a couple of them poked their heads out of their stalls and looked around, Bryce nowhere to be seen.
For now, the fence could wait, and he was sure the damage in the village was still being accessed. The horses, Zaris decided, could use a treat after the day they’d had, and he knew the perfect place to pick some apples for both them and him to tide them all over until dinner.

Meanwhile, On Earth...

Putrid, wretched humans. Their stench clung to the air, even here, here amongst the outskirts of a forest. Even the dusting of snow kissing the earth could not wash away the stains of humans. Their like deserved death for the destruction they left in their wake. Yes. The pathetic, naïve race would get what they deserved. Both humans and those traitors who supported them.
Pain. Pain streaked relentlessly through Kartook’s human form. Even looking like one of them was agonizing. The desire to burst forth from this false skin, to rip, to tear, to feel the crunch of bones between his teeth gnawed at him as he walked alongside the road. But no. Not yet.
But soon.
He had picked up the scent, the feeling of one of them. He was on the right trail. Just a little longer. He needed to hold onto the form for just a short while more.
The fetid smell of humans intensified. Ahead, large houses rose around the trees. Kartook stopped at a fork in the concrete road, closed his eyes, and inhaled. His nostrils flared. There. The light scent of the girl, a werewolf, led to the left. It rolled on the gentle breeze. It was faint, but the most recent.
A grin spread over his haggard, oval face. He was in werewolf territory. Perfect. Perfect indeed. Earth’s wolves rarely, if ever, sensed him. But that girl. That girl was an unpredictable variable. Nevertheless, he lumbered down the street. He could deal with that later.
Curse his wretched human legs! So slow. So weak. Yet, they brought him to where he desired: a quaint home distanced from the others. Her scent hung in the air. Potent. Reeking of destiny.
At last. At long, sweet last. Every muscle in his body screamed for release, to pass the property line and barge inside, to paint the walls in red. But not yet. He knew only what he could smell. And the Destined Ones were not to be underestimated.
No. For now, he would wait. He would watch.
He slunk into the shadows of a line of trees, the snow crunching beneath his feet. He crouched, his bulk easily hidden from the house and road.
He would watch. He would wait. Then. Then he would make his move.

[StarfrostedFox]

The wolves had made good timing, all things considered, paws flying over the fresh blankets of snow. At first, Cassidy had stuck with the others, flanking the newer wolves with her brother, but anxiety had begun fueling her muscles, churning away in her stomach, and she had let her true speed take over, Quickly outstripping the others. Consequently, The white and red she wolf was able to reach the pack's truck ahead of the others and used her momentum to launch herself into the air, leaping gracefully into the bed of the truck with a clatter of claws on the hard plastic lining. Almost at once, she lowered her head and closed her eyes in concentration, gritting her teeth together as the uncomfortable prickle that preceded the change spread throughout her body.

Amid the popping of her own joints, the cracking of her bones, and the squirm of muscles as they shifted and readjusted, Cassidy tried to comprehend the change from another werewolf's perspective. Sure, what she had to experience was painful and uncomfortable, but from what she could understand, it was mild in comparison to what the others had to go through. Part of her wondered if that had something to do with her being born a werewolf instead of being changed into one through a violent attack... She could feel it when the fur receded into her skin, when her tail shrank away into nothing, and when her thumbs popped back into place on her hands, pain prickling over her raw skin as she panted on hands and knees. She took another moment to collect herself and her humanity before pushing back from the truck bed, bright green eyes slowly opening to focus on her surroundings.

The others had arrived while she had been changing, pacing anxiously back-and-forth across the ground, two of the newer wolves whining Saufley. Cassidy listened to them for a moment as she caught her breath before collecting her stack of clothing she had left on one side of the bed and quickly sliding into them, ignoring the small shivers that had started with the absence of her warm winter fur.

"i'm fine." She huffed as someone bumped into the side of the truck, rocking the vehicle slightly. She quickly slipped on her shoes, pulled a sweater over her head, and shook out her frizzy rusty brown hair before jumping out of the back of the truck, using one hand to push herself over the edge. She met a pair of pale blue eyes staring at her intently from a dark face and she repeated herself a little more forcefully. "i'm fine."

Hutch simply snorted in response before circling around to the passenger side of the truck. He had obviously instructed the others to get into the back, for the three newer werewolves leapt quickly into the bed, one after the other. Cassidy had to wait a moment for the truck to settle before she was able to retrieve a key hidden beneath the lip of the front wheel and unlock the driver's door. Hopping inside, she leaned across the front seats and yanked on the handle of the passenger door, opening it to allow the big white and black wolf to join her in the cab. He leapt in rather gracefully, using one of his big paws to pull the door shut after he settled in his seat. Cassidy waited for the time it took her to pull her seatbelt across her body before she shoved the key into the ignition, turning the truck on with a roar.

Then of course, Cassidy had to inevitably adjust her seat and the mirrors before she could drive away. Sometimes, it was rather a pain to be so short. Especially when compared to her brother, who had been the last one to drive the truck. Shaking her head and giving her brother a very evident roll of her eyes, she quickly and carefully made the proper adjustments, made sure she could see everything in the mirrors, and finally pulled the truck around in a wide u-turn, Snow crunching under the tires.

***

After her second fishtail, despite the excellent set of snow tires on the truck, Cassidy couldn't help but smacking the back of her hand against one of Hutch's shoulders. At the best of times, she was a pretty good driver and had been making excellent time coming out of the canyon, but her brother and the three wolves in the back had been practically bleeding anxiety the entire time, Making her feel itchy all over and making her foot heavier on the gas pedal. Every now and then, Hutch would release a soft growl, huff impatiently, or whine through his nose. One of these instances had caused her to fishtailed the first time, responding to his stress, and this time was similar, a much louder rumble thrumming from the white and black wolf's throat.

"stop it! Please. You're making me sick to my stomach." Cassidy begged, giving her face a brisk rub with her hands so she wouldn't have to see her brother flattening his ears at her. This was partially true, he was making her stomach ache worse, but she had never stopped feeling unsettled. She had been feeling that way for quite some time now... "keep it together. We're almost there." She finished, dropping her hands back to the steering wheel and coaxing The truck back to a reasonable speed.

Mercifully, the other werewolves listened to her, stifling whines and biting back growls. They never completely stopped smelling of anxiety, but there wasn't much that could be done about that, even when Cassidy tried to soothe the emotion. She was too anxious herself to do much good in that Area at the moment. Instead, she focused on driving at a reasonable speed, hands firm on the steering wheel. It wasn't long before they were pulling into the driveway, right behind a sleek Black Mercedes and a volts wagon beetle. Before Cassidy could bring the truck to a complete stop, the three wolves in back had jumped out of the bed, haring away towards the three-story house that was pack Central.

Cutting the engine, Cassidy quickly opened her car door, jumping out and shoving the key into one of her pockets as she ran around the truck to open the door for Hutch. Immediately, the big werewolf surged out of the truck as soon as the door was open, bounding away after the younger wolves.

Stabbing her finger quickly against the button that would lock the truck, Cassidy hurried after the others in the direction of the house, nostrils flaring as she tried to catch the scent of blood that would tell her if anyone was injured. She caught hints of deer from the hunt and wolves, but not much beyond that... her stride slowed as A strange smell tickled at her senses for a moment and the teenager slowed to a halt for a few heartbeats as she took a deep breath, trying to separate the smell from the scent of snow and Pine. But whatever it was managed to elude her quite thoroughly and she quickly shook it off, breaking into a sprint once more. She had barely begun to reach for the handle of the front door when the door was opened from the inside, a man poking his head out of the gap.

"Hey Cass, I thought I heard y'all coming back." The man drawled in a thick Texan accent, opening the door wider. He was a thickly built man, with large rounded muscles, messy sandy brown hair, and faded blue eyes, these of which were crinkled up in a smile. "come on in out of the cold sweetheart before y'all catch your death." He teased, Knowing full well that werewolves weren't bothered nearly as much by the cold as regular humans, nor could they get sick from it. He was a werewolf, after all.

"Hi Howard. Glad to see you're making yourself at home." Cassidy chirped in response, stepping past the man's big bare feet and giving his sweatpants and hoodie combination a once over. She grinned in response to his ready smile, But quickly found the expression faltering. She cut him off before he could respond. "is everything all right? No one is hurt?"

Howard shut the door before leaning his back against it, crossing his arms over his broad chest. "everyone's fine. A couple o' glass plates fell off the counter, a bookshelf fell over, but I reckon that was just about the worst of it." He reassured, smiling comfortingly.

Cassidy breathed a sigh of relief before she giggled. "Too bad that ugly vase in the living room didn't fall over. Then we could finally get rid of the thing."

A comical look of horror spread over Howard's face. "listen here missy, I bought that vase from a very nice place. It falling over and breaking wouldn't be enough for me to let everyone just throw it out. I'd superglue the thing back together." He insisted, eyes sparkling with humor, breaking his affronted façade.

"I don't remember Walmart being such a nice place." Cassidy murmured thoughtfully before breaking out into a peal of laughter, dancing back from the hands that reached out to tickle her in retaliation. "I'm kidding Howie! Kidding! I'll go help clean up the glass as punishment." She pleaded, dodging around an armchair to avoid another tickle attempt.

"Serves you right iffin ya did short stack." Howard responded, giving his head a shake before releasing a laugh and flopping down into the armchair. "You're lucky your so cute Cassidy, or I might try harder."

"Lucky me!" Cassidy trilled as she moved through an opening on the other side of the living room that took her into a dining room and beyond that into the kitchen.