Claws of Change

Chapter One

Description: Big Bob is the ruler of a large section of the forest and lives to teach his competitors that he is the strongest. His oldest daughter is more then capable, but his youngest needs to learn to be a killer. So Big Bob requests the help of a new warrior, Arnold, to teach his youngest, Helga, how to kill and fight.

Alternate Universe: Mythical Creatures and various shape shifters.

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Hey Arnold or any of their characters.

Author's Note: There is hardly any alternate universe that involves the characters in Hey Arnold a entirely different world. I thought I would take a crack at the concept. Helga and any other shape shifters in this story are loosely based off of Rakshasa. The only difference between the unnamed shape shifters and the Rakshasa is their powers are limiting as later explained in the story. Please read and tell me what all of you think, thank you. - Pocket Candy.

Up in a oak tree was a blond girl about the age of sixteen. She wore an over-sized brown coat that had a ribbon imprint on the tail of the ensemble. A pair of sandal hanged on both girl's feet as she had spread her legs around the branch. The young girl breathed in the cold air revealing a pair of miniature fangs as her nails dug into the bark of the branch.

It was autumn in the forest the leaves changing into the color of the darkening late afternoon sky. The smell of winter tickled the girl's nose, but for now the taste and feel of fall was bright and clear.

The sound of shuffling leaves from below disturbs the peace from the girl's spot in the tree. The blond girl let out a tsk at the noise. She gripped onto a weak branch and threw the branch down below. A pained cry sounded from below.

"Youngest, was that necessary ," A petit girl around similar age to the girl responded. Unlike her companion, she had a strange color to her skin appearing almost a blend of yellow and green. Her hair was a shade of dark brown almost mistaken for black hair. All over her skin were various leaves matching the orange color of fall that was the forest.

The girl with the blond hair shifted down the tree. Out of the dark shade of the tree, Helga revealed herself to the tiny shrub girl. Helga lifted the hood of her coat over her head and shifted her hands inside her pockets.

"You thought you could sneak up on the next in line to the forest kingdom? You are a living a dream, servant," Helga scolded. Phoebe glanced down from the smothering look Helga was giving her.

"I wasn't trying to mistress. I am just following the orders of your father," Phoebe responded. Helga let out a huff through her nose. Her father, she thought, he can be such a pretentious ass, as the humans would say.

Her, her father, Big Bob, and her sister, Olga, were the royalty within half of the forest. All of them were shape shifter who size came according to the amount of power they held. This power came from mostly bloodshed. It didn't surprise Helga that Big Bob's forms were the largest of the three.

The climb to power had been a bloody one for Big Bob, but he intended to keep the land defending it from anyone who dared try to take it. Most the creatures served Big Bob and feared his presence. His power showed with the form he carried. He was as big as the tree towering over his kingdom as his name suggested. Big Bob was loud and quick temper when things did not go his way and if he had to lift himself up to solve the problems, both his allies and enemies suffered.

Then there was her sister, Olga. She was next in line to the throne once her father fell. A shape shifter like her father and Helga, she was the second in size. She was younger then Bob and wasn't supposed to gain land so it was excusable for her to be smaller, but she gained the power through battle against neighboring enemies. Olga was relentless with her enemies and always kept the forest in check much to Big Bob's delight.

Then Helga who was a little larger than Phoebe in human and in shape shifting forms much to Big Bob's fury. Helga barely got her hand dirtied and it showed. Helga was a disgrace to the Pataki's name to Big Bob and was constantly compared to her sister. Big Bob didn't want her in or out the forest, however. Probably doesn't want me to embarrass him more, Helga thought her eyes flashing a dangerous shade of red.

"Tell Big Bob to go bang himself on the ceiling with his big head," Helga growled. Phoebe gasped at the girl's comment, but before she had a chance to retort, Helga whirled to the forest floor on all fours.

Her blonde hair split and grew all over body. Her skin ripped and moved under her new pelt. Her miniature fangs grew larger and shined in the sunlight as she bared them for the whole forest to see. Her hands became claws that dug into the earth ready to take off in fury. Phoebe last spotting of the daughter of Big Bob was the yellow wolf form that scatters off into the forest.

"Oh, Helga."

/\/\/\

"Oh, Gerald."

An echoing sound of giggles bounced off the walls of the cave. The moon reflected in the water and the glow of the moon lite up the cave. Sitting on top the cave was an odd football shape boy about sixteen years old. He wore a blue kimono that his grandmother had bestowed upon him when he began his journey in search for his mother and father. On top of his head was a small blue hat that his parents had given him before running off to fight a group of shape shifters roaming near their village. They have yet to return from that journey so Arnold began his quest to search for them

Along the way Arnold had met Gerald in the woods. Gerald was a dark skinned satyr, half human, half goat. He had been playing with his flute embracing the forest when Arnold had bump into him. Gerald had thrown the flute at his head shouting, back you evil spirits. It took some effort, but Arnold reasoned with Gerald he was only human. Gerald felt guilt eat him up and insisted on Arnold to spend the night at his home and enjoy his cooking.

After the dinner, Gerald began to accompany him, playing his flute along the way. They had gone from forest to forest seeking information of Arnold's parents, but to no prevail. Gerald had suggested taking a break at this cave where most of the forest women came from. Where Gerald got this information was a mystery to Arnold.

It was a romantic vibe Arnold admitted, but he was not feeling the urge to embrace the forest women as Gerald called them. Arnold shifted to the edge of the cave top and jump down below with zero effort. When he and Gerald had stepped into this area, Gerald's body had frozen. Gerald say with a chilled whisper that this forest belong to Pataki, and the nature around them were screaming to turn back. Arnold had convinced Gerald that he was safe with Arnold and Gerald mumbled under his breath, you're a bold kid, Arnold.

This inferiority was extremely large and that was why Gerald had frozen. Any forest this large in size and having the same scent all around it was to Gerald a strange concept. Arnold had asked for more on this explanation and Gerald responded it was normal to have mixed scents, but if theres only one scent the land is owned by one person entirely. The idea was still foreign to Arnold so he did not bother further questioning Gerald.

These were the times he was grateful for Gerald's presence. Gerald could sense threatening enemies a mile away and they managed to steer clear of most dangers.

A loud splash rang through the opening of the cave and sprays landed on to Arnold. A feminine giggle was heard from the pool of water and revealed a dark hair girl. Scales litter down from her chin to her pelvic which revealed a fish body half. Rhonda echoed in his mind as he walked to the edge of the pool to meet Rhonda the mermaid. Rhonda leaned half her body to the side so that she was titling towards Arnold. Her black locks pooled over her left shoulder and she batted her eyes playfully.

"Arnold, darling, join us and the others," Rhonda requested, "You need to lighten up and enjoy the mood."

Arnold politely decline d the offer with a shake of his head, "Gerald is enjoying the mood for the both of us. I will stand guard. This area is far too dangerous to be letting my guard down."

Rhonda looked peeve by his dismissal forgetting her attempt at being cute and going straight to scolding Arnold's reasoning, "You worry too much. This is a shallow pool of water in a cave. The ruler of this forest cannot gain anything from this area because it lacks potential. There's no fish here and the only people who come here are looking for a good time."

Rhonda paused for a split second and batted her eyes, "If you understand the motion of this ocean."

Arnold grimaced at the suggestion and found he had enough talking to the locals, "I think I am going to walk around to stretch my legs a bit. Tell Gerald not to give you guys all our food in exchange for the whole 'ocean'."

Rhonda sighed and flipped around to swim into the cave, "No promises."

Arnold shrugged going to walk around near the clearing.

The area was interesting to say the least. Use to living with humans, Arnold never thought he would find so many different creatures on his journey through the woods. He had learned the hard way of the mischievous fairies that roam in the kingdom of Scheck and the various humans who could turn into plants at will in the Potts kingdom. Each territory was filled with interesting characters and different warnings from Gerald.

It was so different from his home. In his village there was no forest ruler and most the people who lived there were warriors in different forms. When Arnold was given a weapon to fight with Arnold almost refused. The idea of killing another didn't stomach well with Arnold much to most of the villages surprise and his grandparent's happiness.

Everyone assumed Arnold would be blood thirsty for revenge against those who kept his parents from returning to the village, but Arnold was not seeking it. He just wanted to rescue his parents and go back home. After some persuading that the reason that his parents may be away was due to kidnapping from obstacles that could not use reasoning with words, Arnold was given a sword to train with. He was no master, but he succeed well in his grandma's teaching

A shuffle from a nearby bush put Arnold on his guard. He barked to the bush, "Who goes there?"

Another shuffle from the bush made Arnold stand in fighting pose. So far Rhonda had been right that no one came looking for a fight, most just came to see the woman and do some unmentionables with them, much to Arnold's disgust, but that did not sooth Arnold. A large yellow paw moved out from the bush and Arnold fighting stance paused for a splint second, an animal? He questioned.

A low threatening rumble exited the bush and Arnold stepped back to show he did not want a fight. The creature inside the bush pushed out from the hiding spot to reveal a large wolf body. The form of the wolf was about two times his size in comparison making Arnold worried. He was wondering if he should retreat from this fight to spare any potential wounds roughing with this wolf might lead to.

Before he could consider running or not a voice left the lips of the open mouth wolf, "Speak your rank and why are you in our territory."

The voice was feminine, but had a rough tone to it as if she was ready to attack by any wrong move. Arnold decided to respond, but did not lower his guard due to the ever present danger, "Warrior and I am seeking relatives who wander off."

The wolf cocked her head in disbelief, "A warrior in our territory seeking 'relatives'. I call bluff." The wolf skin prickled in anger at the idea of deceit. She appears to have triple in size at the potential threat from Arnold's presence. Arnold's fear grew at the unsettling growth of the shape shifter.

"I do not lie," Arnold continued, "I do not wish to bring any harm to you or this forest. If I cannot find my relatives here, I will leave the moment I can."

The wolf barked out in laughter and began to pace around Arnold. Arnold didn't dare to move preparing for his enemy to strike. She chose to strike with words before she allowed herself to strike Arnold with her own paws, "You do not get options in this young warrior. You enter my territory and I must learn all there is of you before I allow you to leave. If you dare to defy me-"

The wolf chooses then to pounce into the air swooping down onto Arnold. He lifted the sword in an attempt to block her fatal blow to his skull. She landed on top of Arnold, her crunching being blocked by Arnold's sword. Grinding his teeth together, Arnold tried to push the wolf off him with just the sword keeping her white fangs from digging into his face. She spat and twisted on top of Arnold. The form of the wolf grew as she grew more frustrated. The new weight was too much for Arnold and he lost the struggle. The wolf snatched the sword in her mouth and whirled it into the nearby forest. Arnold tried to follow where the sword had gotten lost in, but the shadows in the forest hide the sword. He forgot about the sword entirely when the wolf's paws pushes into the dirt, trapping him successfully.

She twisted in her wolf form. Her back thrusts up to the moon as the fur retreated to her scalp. Her paws grew thin and became delicate fingers that gripped onto Arnold's kimono. Her eyes went from burning red to a nice shade of blue. She was still taller than Arnold and now that she was out of the wolf guise she was also much older than Arnold. The way her body shows off her above average chest and then dipped down to show off her alluring curves made Arnold's mouth grow dry. Arnold took a second to bask in the blond woman's appearance before she smashed his face in.

"I will show you the power of the oldest daughter of this forest kingdom," She finished in a huff. She threw Arnold down to the ground with zero effort. She twirled around beginning to head towards the forest, but paused to glance back at Arnold, "What is your name warrior."

"A-Arnold of the Shortman village," He managed to choke out. The eldest daughter's eyes squinted more at the young warrior before whirling around again. As she left she couldn't help to think back to her younger sister, Helga, as she had gazed at the warrior.

/\/\/\