Shape-Shifter

by Emmy22

Liz is a normal school girl, until she is forced to move towns as an orphan. In a serious turn of events, she finds herself trapped in a Shadowhunter world with no way out. Her only chance of surviving is by adapting and learning in this new world.

1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1 – A New Life

The carriage bumped up and down, precariously riding over protruding rocks, trailing behind the lead of two horses. They were Friesian horses, their manes shiny and polished, trotting evenly, almost as if they were mechanical robots. Liz stared out of the window, her eyes fixated on the row of houses which seemed to span forever. All around her were large plains of grass, tall and unmown, reaching out into the sky like a tangled mess of fingers.

She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath in as the carriage took a steep turn, sending the wheels rocking off balance. The carriage swerved dangerously, one wheel lodged onto a huge rock, another stuck into the mud rut. The horses neighed to a stop, their heads tossing around reluctantly, tails swishing away the flies in the dizzy summer heat. A huge sigh resonated through the carriage, as the driver unceremoniously jumped out, splattering mud all over the golden doors. Liz pushed it open, sliding quickly off onto the gravel road, eyes fixed in contemplating disgust at the rock which had held the wheel captive.

The driver muttered something under his breath, and Liz could faintly make out curse words. "It's not good. We'll have to walk to town. We'll get someone up here later on." He gestured to Liz, and she looked at the horses doubtingly. They were now attempting to free themselves, trotting desperately in the mud, flies clustering around them in swarming heaps. "Let's go." The man's voice was harsh and firm, with some tone to it that made Liz shiver. He grabbed her savagely by the hand, holding her tiny wrist in his unrelenting grip, and led her over the mud patch.

Liz turned one last time to glance back at the struggling horses. A glimpse of silver flashed across the horses' skin, and for a moment, shiny, hard metal showed beneath the skin. Then, it was gone, replaced by the dark colour of the horses' coat. Liz shook her head, sure that the hallucination was just a cause of the dizzy heat. She stumbled after the man, vision blurred and eyes squinted against the sun's glare.