Ashley looked up and nodded her head, giving him a tentative smile of her own while he wrapped the leaf in a web that emitted from his palm.
“Wow this feels really secure now. Thanks,” Ashley beamed up at Axon, which gave Brexl the confidence to step forward. The scarred hunter closed his eyes and let his body transform from a soft skinned blue alien to a hardened skeletal creature with a bone tail, bony fingers with claws extended from the finger nails, and spikes stretched out from his shoulders and forearms. Most of his body was covered in a bone plating that made him look like the grim reaper. All he needed was a cloak and a scythe and I’d be convinced my time had come.
While the women had looked at Axon and Drovo with shock and amazement, everyone looked at Brexl with a mix of shock and fear, and I didn’t blame them. In the short time I’d known Brexl, he’d been nothing but shy and soft-spoken, but in his shifter form he was more than a little intimidating.
After seeing the fear on the women’s faces, he quickly shifted back into his Sirret form and retreated into the shadows of the trees.
All eyes turned to Rhaz, who stood at the opposite end of the group. A glimmer of longing crossed his face as he gazed at the women, but it was quickly replaced by a frown. He opted not to shift at all and walked toward the tree line, where he too disappeared into the shadows.
Tarak was the last to transform. He shifted into his wolfish tanuki form looking as powerful and sexy as the first time I’d seen him. His tail thumped the ground nervously as he looked out at all the women. I held out my hand and smiled up at him, letting him know that no matter what, I would stand with him. He took my hand and gave it a small squeeze and smiled back down at me.
Tarak scanned his hunters and gave a quick nod before announcing it was time to continue on toward the mountain.
Chapter 17
Tarak
“Were your eyes purple when you were born?”
Talia has been asking me many questions about my abilities ever since we left the river. I was encouraged by her enthusiasm to learn about something that was so important to my dekes. The other females remained quiet as they listened to each of my answers.
“Yes, my eyes have always been purple,” I confirmed.
“Do you think your abilities come from whatever it is that makes the water purple?”
“Perhaps. The elders describe our ancestors as the gray-eyed worshipers in some of their stories, so it could be true that we have the water to thank for our shifting abilities.”
“Cool. Maybe one day I’ll gain some abilities, too.” Talia had a gleam of excitement in her eyes and I found myself hoping for her wish to come true. How strange it was to experience someone’s excitement at the thought of gaining abilities I had always thought to be a curse.
“Have your people always lived on this planet?” Fatima’s question pulled me back into the present.
“No, our ancestors arrived on Valo Prime almost three hundred seasons ago. The goddess brought them here through a miracle.”
I had heard our history told many times growing up. The elders would retell our stories whenever we gathered around the cookfire for our evening meal.
“What miracle was that?” It was Gab-bae who asked this time.
“That I do not know. That knowledge was hidden from everyone but the priestess. She alone knows the complete history of the tribe. Each priestess is given the sacred knowledge and is forbidden to share it with the rest of the tribe.”
“Interesting.” Fatima furrowed her brow.
“Do you know where your people lived before they came here?” Fatima continued her line of questioning.
“The ancestors were freed from an oppressive place called Ozinda, where they toiled all day for other people and yet never had enough provisions for themselves.”
“If you believe that stuff,” Rhaz scoffed.
“You don’t believe?” Anusha asked.
“No,” he shook his head. “How can people work so hard for others and not revolt when they don't have enough to provide for themselves?”
“You’d be surprised,” Taylor huffed.
“Shhh!” Axon commanded as he shifted into his spider form. He closed his eyes and listened to the sounds of the forest.
Drovo shifted as well and put his hand on the nearest tree.
“Jagwas; a pack is headed our way,” Axon confirmed.
