The Shifters: Katrina
Part Two - Ch.3: Dani & the Guards

The air shifter, Dani, was asleep in no time after today's activities. I was pacing in the forest, the other girl slumped against a tree. Every once and a while, I moved far enough away to avoid disturbing her and hit a tree until a power wave blasted through the air. My stomach was twisted in knots since I really did not want to go back after not even being out of the compound for a day. On the other hand, I knew Dani needed help. Since she already unlocked her form, she had the physical assets of a shapeshifter, meaning most of her cuts were already healed. However, she was still a weaker shifter.

After setting off another wave for the third time, there was a stir back where I left Dani. She was on her feet when I came back, knife stuck in my waistband and my hood pushed back.

"Feel better?"

She still looked slightly uncomfortable around me, probably since we came from different compounds. Above all else, she was a little off-put by my elemental capabilities.

She'd probably shit herself if she saw me as a dragon, I thought, ignoring the fact that I probably should be ashamed for thinking it. It wasn't her fault she was skittish.

"Why are you out here?" She suddenly blurted.

Nevermind. Maybe she isn't actually skittish.

I frowned. "That's personal," I told her. We fell silent, and there was a distant thump against the ground. "I think we've got company."

It wasn't long until a familiar team of shifters burst from the bushes. Dani jumped to her feet, the air shifting around her. I held up a hand, though my face was hidden behind the folds of my hood as the elite guards from Iluita approached us.

"Who are you?" Koren demanded. They all looked disheveled and rather upset. That's when I realized they were probably already out of the compound looking for me.

"My name is Dani," the other shifter squeaked obediently. "This is..."

She floundered considering I never told her my name. With a dramatic sigh and a mental picture of me throwing myself into a volcano, I yanked my hood off.

"Hi," I said flatly. Koren's eyes lit up, but Kami had the opposite reaction. Molly and Victoria had to hold her back from me as her face went beat red.

"You little! You came back home?! Even though there's hunters in this area?! Did you tell your family--"

"No."

My eyes fell to the ground. "I left them a note and ran into my sister, but I didn't say anything," I told them, even if I'd had my blue glow when I was with Mia. "I'm not going to betray the compound. I'm not that stupid."

She lost some of her anger, shrugging off the other two. Rachel, Xavier and Aaron stood behind the shifters I was more familiar with, keeping an eye on Dani.

"What were you thinking?" Kami snapped.

"Quite a few things," I murmured under my breath.

"Sorry, what's going on?" Dani said, saving me from the conversation. I mentally called us even, stuffing my hands in the pocket of my hoodie. Not daring to look up at Kami, who I'd seen not even a day ago, I glanced at Dani.

"These are elites from Iluita. They'll bring us home."

I haven't even been gone for more than ten hours. Definitely not enough time to get my life straight, but at least I saw Mia and left a letter.

My heart still ached at the thought of my sister trapped in the closet, but I didn't let it worry me. Dani looked overjoyed, running toward the guards.

"I'm Dani, I'm from Ileial!"

Koren's eyes widened. "We had a boy named Rowan saying his friend had never showed up to the compound," he blurted, "so it was you?"

"I knew he would send someone to find me," she laughed, though I was horrified. I fought her friend?! The bitch part of me wished I had left her behind, but I smothered that thought. Kami recognized the name as well, locking eyes with me.

"You're not getting out of this, Katrina," she snarled. The others looked my way, Dani frowning.

I rolled my eyes. "I didn't think so. It's not like I want to sweep it under the rug, you know. I'm just as confused as you are."

About most of it, at least. The dragon thing was definitely confusing. The fire, however, I had an inkling about ever since that gemstone had lit up. I'm not telling her that, I decided, glancing sideways at Koren.

"Are we going or what?"

They all rolled their eyes. "I can't tell if I prefer this to when we first brought you back," Victoria joked softly. Molly snorted, and the guards turned to go. The pink haired shifter made sure I was following, her and Koren herding Dani and I into the center of their little group.

"We're taking the fire entrance into the compound," Koren shouted so that everyone heard him, "and Katrina will open it."

I gritted my teeth together. This situation had me feeling all sorts of things -- mainly frustration at this point. Xavier, a jock-type shifter that I hadn't spoken to that much one-on-one, threw me a knowing look.

"I hope Rowan won his match..," Dani murmured.

"Hey, Dani?" I began, the other shifters tensing. They must've put two and two together. They would've been watching the duels and seen me fighting Rowan when my mask was burnt, meaning they knew I was probably about to say something stupid.

"Yeah," she hesitated, "uh, Katrina?"

I met her eyes with a hard stare. Inside my pockets, my hands were clenched into fists. Everything was upsetting me today, beating my emotions into the dust.

"You know how you asked me if I participated in the duels?"

She nodded, hesitating once again.

Malice flickered through my eyes. "I fought him."

Dani's eyes widened. She had seen my dual elements first hand. "Is he... okay?"

Everyone hung onto the silence, staring at me from the corners of their eyes.

I could feel their collective relief when I glanced skyward. The sky was a gloomy gray, reflecting how I currently felt.

"It was a balanced fight. I'm a water apprentice," I told her. "He got in a few good hits, but in the end..."

I bit down on my lip, pushing the memory from my mind.

"In the end..."

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"I blasted him, just a little. He still won," I lied.

However, it was worth it to see her relieved smile.

I warned her she'd hate me eventually, I thought, avoiding looking anyone in the eye, but for some reason, the idea makes me feel guilty.

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