by Lee Morgan
While flying, Connor made the water reform from the saturated ground, Sarah then felt him summoning a third element.
From all around, the ground, rocks and dirt started rising skyward. As Connor called upon Terra, he made the dirt and rocks enter the wet sphere above his head. He kept forcing more and more debris into it until he controlled a gigantic mud ball three times his own size. “Ready to give up yet?”
Jack fell to his knees in absolute defeat. Connor slowly drifted back to the ground, throwing the mud behind him as he touched down. The impact made the ground shudder.
They walked back to the group, suddenly laughing. When they arrived back Kara blurted “That was the oddest scene. Why are the two of you laughing?”
Jack then said “He told me he would pay me back for the time I made him trip during our first race. Well he just got his revenge.”
Wanting to go on with the tasks Sarah asked the group “What’s next on the agenda?” She placed her hand on the hilt of her dagger and handed Tool back to his rightful owner.
Mark walked forward. “I’m next. Jack would you like to fight with me?”
Jack tapped his chin in thought. “Sure Mark. I haven’t challenged your kind in close to two centuries.” Mark’s eyes started glowing as Sarah watched his hair become armor again. As they walked away Kara suggested “Let’s all go sit over there.” She pointed to a shade tree.
Connor sat down first followed by Kara, after taking her silver longbow off, Jillian sat on her heels as she watched her mate prepare to fight a Changer. Connor wasn’t breathing heavy, but he was breathing slower and more deeply.
Sarah saw how much energy her husband expended so she decided to give him a little boost. She spun on one heel and said directly on his lap while making sure the dagger’s scabbard didn’t stab him. He stared chuckling as she shifted her bottom, trying to get comfortable. Jillian didn’t pay any attention to them as she saw her mate getting ready to spar, golden eyes intently watched them. Sarah grabbed his hand and her hands started glowing as she gave him some of her stored energy.
Kara noticed and asked “Sarah, what are you doing?” Sarah turned to see her studying her glowing hands with childlike innocence.
Sarah had no reason to lie so she told the truth. “We have the ability to transfer our extra energies to others when they are tired. We have to be touching skin to skin for the exchange.”
Jillian cut in on the explanation while watching the two men spar. “Skin is the operative word. The more skin that touches, the more stamina that can be transferred. It especially works best when you’re naked.” She turned her eyes to look directly at Sarah while arching her eyebrow provocatively.
Her face flamed and Sarah entered her mother’s mind and began chastising “Don’t be such a pervert. She didn’t need to know that much!” Sarah felt Connor’s mind brushing with hers as he eavesdropped, but he didn’t show any outward reaction. His bond with her explained that he was just as embarrassed. All her mother did was smile, and before Sarah pulled her mind out she saw a mental picture she made of her future granddaughter. “Connor, it looks like she has been thinking about it a lot since you put that suggestion in her mind.”
“You’d have to admit that it was a beautiful baby, Princess. I liked the mixture of blue and green eyes your mother gave her.” He did have a point.
Kara went on with another question. “Can you show me what it feels like… this energy transfer thing?”
Sarah sighed while becoming worried. “Kara, I’m afraid that my powers aren’t honed yet. I could accidently give you too much for your body to handle.”
She also sighed saying “That’s too bad.”
Connor swiftly spoke to Jillian while Sarah was still transferring her energy into him. “Jillian, you did it for me once. Can you show her for us please?”
Jillian smiled at his faith in her. She scooted closer to Kara until they were almost thigh to thigh. She gently rested the palm of her left hand on Kara’s exposed thigh. Sarah could feel her transferring energy without making her hand glow. Her mother truly was the best option. Kara said in awe as she looked at her thigh “Wow that feels great. It feels so warm.”
Jillian took her hand off and smiled “Now imagine that feeling all over your naked body.”
Sarah yelled “Mother!” but it was drowned out by Kara’s robust laughter. Sarah could feel embarrassed again, but Connor also started laughing. Her flamed face was all that could be seen of Sarah’s embarrassment.
They continued watching the match again.
Jack, still trying his upmost to gain the upper hand against Mark, but was unable to do so because of his opponent’s swiftness and agility. Jack made a fire blockade and Mark ran right through the flames as he ran on all four without even getting one spark on his well defended body.
Physically, Mark was superior in this battle.
Kara said softly as she looked at the rocky ground “Mark…told me how one becomes a Changer.”
All three nearby heads snapped in her direction. Connor asked evenly “Have you made a decision on if you will even try?”
Her head shot up to look at him. “Brother, how long have you known?”
He leaned Sarah back into his chest as he said “Sarah, told me that the odds weren’t good if one went through the change. You are strong, so I think you could survive that slim chance and be one of the rare ones who can endure.”
“You won’t tell me that it’s a stupid idea, I could die or something like that?” Her eyes were confused as she looked at him.
Sarah knew he was smiling as he said “Sis, you’re your own person. Make your own choices and follow through with them. Even if you make a wrong choice, it will still be yours to make. You are the master of the life that is yours and yours alone. I couldn’t stop you and if I did, it would be like I took your life myself.”
“Thank you for that pep talk Brother. Do either of you have any comments for me?” Kara asked, looking at Jillian and Sarah with her chocolate colored eyes.
Sarah shook her head, but Jillian asked in a motherly way “Do you love him?”
“Yes!” and Sarah could see the same fierce determination in her that Connor always shows. That was another small trait they shared.
“Seems to me like you’ve already made up your decision, Kara. You didn’t come seeking our opinions, you wanted to see if your feelings were real between the two of you. But you already knew that didn’t you?” Connor said before Sarah’s mother could say something perverted again.
All four of them looked over at the clashing opponents when they all heard a crash in the rubble.
Jack was knocked back after being hit by Mark’s round shoulder. He was rolling from the powerful hit and lessening the damage with the roll.
Mark stood back up and walked to Jack, the match ended. Jack took Mark’s clawed hand and was hoisted up. Then Mark put his muzzle close to Jack’s ear and said something that put a grin on his face.
At the same time, Connor and Kara’s smile vanished and they said together “Uh oh!” Sarah forgot how acute their hearing is.
Before she could ask what was said, Connor stood up, taking Sarah with him. He let go of her as she felt him calling his power. Suddenly he took to the sky.
Sarah looked down in fear as she saw her father and Mark running side by side, straight for her. They didn’t look like they were playing.
Connor heard what Mark suggested as he whispered in Jack’s ear. “How about we test how well he can fight the two of us at once?” The moment Connor saw Jack’s azure eyes and Mark’s silver eyes turn in his direction and zero in, he understood he had to figure something out and quick.
Knowing how strong they are separately he knew exactly just how much trouble he found himself in. They are cooperating now. Connor decided to take to the air and make a battle plan. He didn’t wait long to see that this course of action wouldn’t last long.
When he reached the tree tops Connor looked down to see everyone lo
oking up at him. Jack conjured his fire whips again, but it was Mark who gave Connor a real pause of concern.
Connor thought he was the only one capable of flight.
Even from up here he could see Mark’s eyes glowing brightly in the afternoon sunlight and he could hear breaking bones taking a new shape. Two black nubs started growing from between his shoulders. They continued growing and bowing out. His black fur started changing into black glossy feathers. It was a sight he’d never forget. When Mark stood on his back legs he opened what were now glorious black wings. By Connor’s measure he guessed Mark easily had a twenty foot wingspan. The proportions were perfect and made him look more deadly than ever before. He remained in his wolf form, but with those glistening wings he had become something else. Mark still had his wings spread as he said “Let’s see how well you can do against us now, Buddy. Prepare yourself.”
As Mark leapt into the air, he pushed his wings down and gained over twenty feet with a single beat of his magnificent black wings. He was showing off for everyone as he flew to Connor’s eyelevel, but stayed just out of reach. His muzzle pulled back as he showed how menacing his teeth really were.
Connor knew he had to react and not idly plan or else wind up paying a painful price. He focused more energy to his legs as he tried to escape. Suddenly a blistering hot pain wrapped around his ankle. Jack’s whip struck and wrapped around it. He pulled and Connor knew he had only one alternative.
He pretended to struggle in the air as Jack pulled as if the whip were a chain and the feel of the element felt solid. Mark took the bait and flapped his powerful wings to try and capture him. Connor stopped the flow of stamina from his legs and dropped out of the air. The girls down below began yelling for them to stop, but Connor had an active plan already formulating.
He directed his earthbound body, head first, down at the ground. The frantic shouting from all of the girls continued. At the last moment Connor summoned his power and focused his mind instantly. He used the element Terra to rip open a hole just wide enough for him to tunnel through the earth.
Connor made it through the dark tunnel perfectly. Once the tunnel closed behind him, the fire that wrapped around his ankle was choked off and disappeared. He continued making the tunnel slightly wider as he used Pressure, directed to his hands, to slow his descent. When he finally stopped descending Connor had just enough room to flip around and land on his feet. His ankle was really hurting and it was probably badly burned. He then used sonar to see through the rock. I hate battles that aren’t one on one, but I understand the lesson they are giving me… Connor saw through the earth in black and white as he used the sonar ability. The three girls were searching the spot where he entered and tunneled into the ground. Jack still remained holding his whip, waiting for the opponent to resurface. Connor could also see Mark circling above the clearing while searching for where he might reappear next. Below his feet flowed a current of water.
It is an aquifer, ready to be used.
Three minds suddenly tried to contact him. He allowed the strongest and the most familiar in and blocked all the others out. “Connor? Are you hurt at all?” Sarah asked in a frantic mental voice.
“Yes, it’s not all that bad and I’ll heal quickly.” It was the truth because his ankle felt like he had a first or second degree burn around it. He could then feel Sarah’s pulses reverberating through the rocky soil.
“I see you! I’m coming down.”
Connor quickly formulated a plan, now that he had the time. “No. Get Kara and Jillian away. I have a score to settle, Princess.” he felt her reading the plan and in the pit of his gut could feel that her worrying eased.
She literally picked up both women and ran them over to the outskirts of the clearing. Jack and Mark watched them speed away as Sarah got them out of harm’s way. Their heads followed Sarah’s movements and then they realized Connor was about to retaliate soon.
Connor used Terra to make several small tunnels around him to give some much needed ventilation. They exited in different locations around the clearing and he made them open slowly so that they wouldn’t be noticed. Luckily they weren’t discovered as he saw Jack stay still and alert as he watched for any signs to surface. Taking a deep breath of fresh air Connor initiated the plan.
He drew water from the stream below and sheathed his entire body with the cool water. It fit like a living glove. He got that idea from Sarah when she made the water sleeves. Connor tunneled back up to the surface slowly and stopped five feet from making a breach just under Jack’s feet. Connor then waited for Mark to circle closer. When he did the trap was sprung.
First, Connor instantly ripped opened the tunnel the rest of the way and forced energy down to his feet. As Jack fell down a hole again he lost his concentration over his element and the fire whip disappeared. Connor made sure the hole was sufficient to hold him. When he rocketed into the light Connor continued using sonar because the light would temporally blind him otherwise. When Jack landed in the bottom of the trap Connor used Terra to seal the top of his new earth jail cell and made sure it was air tight. Not even Jack would risk creating fire in that situation.
One down, one to go.
Connor not only captured Jack, but also caught Mark off guard. Flying straight up at Mark, he tucked his wing and tried to maneuver out of the way. Connor altered his speeding course and caught him. As Mark struggled in the air, he lost. Connor agilely maneuvered onto his back, wrapped his thick arms around his wings and forced them to stop flapping. Connor was holding both himself and Mark’s weight as he ordered the water that encased him to saturate Mark’s wings. Mark fought valiantly and tried to change his back hair again to spikes until Connor said “Enough Mark, I won!” then his sonar quit.
Colored sight returned.
Mark stopped struggling and turned his head around to see his captor with his silver eyes as Connor held the both of them in the air. He asked “How did you win?”
“Look at your wings, Bud.” He turned his head side to side, looking at each of his black wings. He became stunned for a moment before barking a laugh. “Yep, you’ve won alright. I can’t fly with wet wings. I lost this fight.”
Connor slowly descended until Mark touched the ground first. When Connor’s foot hit the ground a searing pain shot up his leg. He missed catching his balance and tripped backwards, landing heavily on his bottom.
Before Mark could offer to help him up Sarah ran over and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck as she cried. Petting her head he said in her mind “It’s alright, Princess. I won, didn’t I?”
She pulled her head back to look at him with tears still streaming down the sides of her cheeks. “Where are you hurt?”
He sighed and said aloud “Just around my ankle.” She pulled back even further to examine the injury. Connor looked up at Mark as he tucked in his wings and he stood. “I have never heard of a wolf with wings before.”
His muzzle pulled back into a razor sharp smile. “Only I have that specific trait to match a wolf’s body with a hawk’s wings. I call this form Fwen. Very few Changers are capable of altering to two different transformations simultaneously.”
“Fwen? It is an odd name for sure.” He knelt down by Connor’s side as he too looked at the burned ankle.
It was a second degree burn.
Then all heard a faint “Get me out of here!”
Connor grabbed Sarah’s shoulder. “Can you please let your father out?”
Her eyes narrowed and he saw a streak of malice flash in her eyes and they even darkened. Her eyes start glowing as she stood up and walked away from him and Mark. She stopped and Connor saw the earth open at her command. Her eyes were still glowing as she said in an icy voice that sent a chill down everyone’s spine “How dare you use such intense flames on my mate, Father.”
He instead asked evenly “Will you give me a little help out of here?” Connor knew he was at least twenty feet down the cavity.
Her eyes stopped glowing as she said in
the same icy tone “Get yourself out.” She turned and walked back to Connor and her voice softened as she looked upon him. “Are you done practicing for today?” He had no room to say anything from the intensity of her expression, but did manage to nod for her.
Kara and Jillian finally came up, but Kara yelled at Mark. “What the hell is wrong with you two, ganging up on my brother like that!?” Connor saw Jillian walking over to the hole he made for her mate.
Mark made the wise choice and walked around to put Connor between the two of them. “Kara, it’s not what you think.” He waived his claws in front of him in defense. If there is one thing he feared it was her wrath. She has one evil mean streak that anyone would pause against.
Since he’s helped out countless times before, Connor gave him a hand. “Kara, they were showing me how I should react if I was faced with two opponents with powers and had no warning. It was a practical scenario that we might face one day.”
She eyed them both suspiciously. “Is that the truth, Brother?” She put a hand on her hip, still looking angry. She wasn’t playing around like usual. “I clearly remember what he whispered into Mr. Branderson’s ear.”
Connor turned to look at his overly attentive mate. She was still worried over the mild injury. “Read his mind and tell her the truth.”
He saw Sarah look at Mark with angry eyes and a minute later they softened, but just barely. “That was Mark’s true intention, Kara. Now…” She got up and walked over to the hole just as Jillian pulled Jack from the pit with her water lasso. Jillian stepped back as she saw her daughter approaching. Sarah was forcing her mind into her father’s because his brow furrowed in pain from her intrusion. She said loud enough for all to hear “Father, don’t ever try and fight my mate when he isn’t ready.” She stood and made a solid and uncontested rule from now on. “No more sneak attacks. If someone is sparring two on one, the three combatants will all be prepared. No exceptions.” She turned away and walked back to Connor’s side. “Let’s go sit in the shade where I can work on that burn.”
