“What?” I gasped. “What does that mean?”
“You’ll know when you find him,” she said simply. She smiled and nodded in the direction of the city. “Go on, Liam.”
“Grandmother – ”
Another explosion sounded somewhere in the forest. The air crackled with heat and snapping branches. My frame shook with horror.
“Find the golden bear, Liam,” she said. “He needs you.”
My mind swirled. The wind and snow roared in the trees, blowing heat waves over the forest. She smiled at me one last time before I twisted on my heel and ran.
* * *
Everything was hot and blurry. My body hurt. I tried to groan but my voice came out as a hoarse whimper. The ground was getting further away. Someone was pulling on me.
No, I realized, it didn’t feel like flesh.
A strange, rumbling sound filled the crackling air. I shifted, exhaling with the movement, and blinked through the acrid smoke. Something touched me again and I groaned against the cool contact compared to the overwhelming heat.
A voice was muttering, but I couldn’t understand.
“What?” I mumbled.
“… to turn back!”
Something collapsed, sending a sharp shock of recognition searing through my body like lightning. I shot up with a gasp. My face collided with something thick and warm. Fur.
I scrambled back in terror.
“Liam!”
I stopped.
“Who are you?” I rasped.
Red and orange flames licked the edge of my vision. Fire.Fire.
“Liam, it’s me!” the bear roared. “I need you to turn back!”
I froze, recognizing the voice.
“Victor?” I breathed.
“Yes!” he snarled. “Turn into your bear! I can’t carry you like this!” Something else crumbled and collapsed, and I heard the sharp breaking of glass. “Hurry!”
I blinked in disbelief. Surrounding Victor’s bear was a bright aura. He was silhouetted by the flames around us, enveloping him in a golden glow.
I gasped like I’d been struck.
Find the golden bear, Liam.
“It’s you,” I whispered.
Above us, the brittle floorboards of the second floor groaned. Victor’s eyes were wild with fear. “Liam! Hurry up!”
The panic in his voice shook me, and I did what I was told. My human body felt weak and sore as I transformed. My bear took over. I groaned with effort, but finally it was complete. Immediately Victor lurched towards me and gently but firmly took my scruff in between his fangs.
The floorboards above us broke. They clattered, charred and black, onto Victor. His roar came out muffled through my fur. I gasped, afraid he’d been hurt.
