Chapter 39
Normal P.O.V.
The slayers watch in fascination as Crystal and Kuma spar, until Kuma slams into the tree. Their hearing picks up the sound of bones breaking and they share a look then slowly get up as Kuma gets back to her feet.
At the sight of Crystal crouching in submission the slayers move quickly and when Kuma leaps, Laxus pushes Crystal out of the way while Natsu and Gajeel catch the shifter.
Crystal shifts back to her human form but still cowers under the fiery glare of the panther fighting to get out the slayer's arms. Laxus looks back to make sure that Gajeel, Natsu and Wendy have Kuma then turns to Crystal.
"Alright, what happened?"
The lupus shifter finally tears her gaze away from her friend and looks to the lightning slayer. "I-I don't know, we were having a simple play fight but when she smacked into the tree she just went completely aggressive."
A sharp yowl fills the air and Crystal cowers back. Laxus scowls and turns back to where Gajeel and Natsu are fighting to keep the shifter down.
"Wendy, know any sleeping spells?"
The sky slayer nods, her expression serious as she moves around the other slayers to Kuma's head. She skillfully avoids the snapping jaws, her hands glowing blue, and a few seconds later the shifter wobbles, the iron and fire slayers catching her and easing her to the ground.
Leaving the sky slayer to take care of the shifter Laxus turns back to Crystal to see her already standing and walking to the fire. He and the other slayers, save Wendy, watch as the lupus shifter gathers up the bags with the soul stones and lays the gems themselves around the fire.
"Oi, Wolf, what do you think you're doing?"
Gajeel stomps up to the fire to grab the gems under his care away from the flames but she growls, her expression serious.
"I wanna know why my best friend just tried to take a bite out of me. The only way I can is by asking her elders, and the only way I can do that is by doing a fire summoning. I can't mentally talk to them like she can, and I can't make out the whispering clear enough like you slayers can, but I can utilize the legends and traditions my mother taught me before I left the pack."
Gajeel, Laxus, and Natsu share a look and they shrug, their curiosity getting the best of them.
She snorts, finding their reactions humorous as she turns back to her task. She stands near the edge of the fire, the orange, yellow, and purple stones at her feet. Slowly she takes a deep breath and gathers her hands in front of her.
She starts forming a sign with her fingers and when it's done her thumbs, index, and pinkies meet at a point, the knuckles of her left and right run parallel and her middle and ring fingers stand straight out.
"Spirits, I of the Shiri pack, daughter of the medicine woman seek your advice. This fire before me, I offer as a window to this world in which your body no longer inhabits. Spirits, I may only be a lupus, and not of your blood, but I plead for your help."
The shape in her hands lights up and at the end of her chant expands to form the head of a gray wolf, the detail solid down to the different strands of hair. Then a ghostly howl is heard giving even the slayers goosebumps as the image of the wolf dives into the fire, causing it to explode.
Sparks fly everywhere and when they fade away, in the middle of the fire stands the elder, Ryu.
The slayer's jaws drop and Crystal kneels, her forehead touching the ground in front of the gems.
"Greetings Elder, you have my gratitude for answering my call."
Ryu chuckles and the fire flares as he seems to stretch his wings. "Rise, cub, there is no need to be so formal. We have seen many of the... misadventures you and Kuma have gone on."
Crystal rises to her feet, her eyes never rising to meet his. He runs a hand along his beard and takes in the sight of her then turns to look around the clearing, his eyes landing on the sleeping shifter while the exceeds huddle around her, Wendy's healing magic having taken care of the damage.
He sighs and the flames around his feet seem to flare out then shrink. "I take it she has not been the easiest to work with?"
Turning to Wendy as he asks this and the sky slayer frowns. "Elder, we've always been able to handle her being stubborn, but she tried to actually harm Crystal."
His tail lashes out behind him and the flames follow the movement. His scowl serious as he turns back to Crystal.
"I was afraid this would happen." The confusion around the campfire is clear as he turns back to Crystal. "Cub, I know from her memories you two have faced off against many animals together," Crystal finally raises her gaze to meet his as he continues. "This is one such time, without her human form to keep the animal instincts in check she reverted to what a bear normally does when they're injured. They lash out at the one who caused them injury. Be grateful you have a healer among your group as she would not have stopped until she got her revenge."
Laxus clears his throat grabbing the elder's attention and he turns to face the lightning slayer with an eyebrow arched. "Speak your question, Lightning rod."
A vein throbs on Laxus's forehead at the nickname but he pushes his anger down and keeps his gaze locked with the spirit's.
"Is Kuma gonna behave much the same when she wakes up?"
Ryu shakes his head and turns to look at the shifter in question, his features softening. "No, she won't. Since the sky dragon healed her she will be her same stubborn self, but," and he turns back to Laxus. "Ember feels I should warn you to stay away from the main roads until you reach the glaciers. I, for one, agree with her. My advice to you, young slayers, is to listen to your instincts and pay attention to how Kuma and her friend react to their environment. Three of you may have grown well in the wild, but even you cannot compare to the enhanced instincts of a shifter, be it draco or lupus."
He grows quiet, the fire dying down around him until he turns to Natsu, then the fire builds to almost unbearable temperatures.
"Fire breather, I sense the Fire King himself in your blood, were you by any chance taught by him?"
Natsu frowns but nods. "Yes, Igneel was my father."
Ryu hums, the fire at his feet flaring in tune. "I knew Igneel before I turned to my gem, you are lucky to have been raised by him."
The slayer sputters. "Y-you knew Igneel?"
Ryu nods. "Yes, he was a good friend of mine, and I must say," he stops and looks Natsu over with a critical eye then snorts. "You're just like him, from the destruction I've heard Taiyo talk about to the stubbornness and the childish behavior."
Wendy giggles, Gajeel laughs, and Laxus smirks from where the three stand off to the side, as they watch Ryu compliment and demean their brother.
Meanwhile smoke erupts from Natsu's mouth, but before he can retort Ryu holds up a hand stalling him.
"Do not take offense to my words, Fire breather, as I am only stating fact. It is and was common for many of your elements to behave in much the same way while they're young. To behave like the wildfires they hold within them. It is much the same for the healer, the metal piercer, and the lightning rod. They each take after the characteristics of their element."
He again falls silent and looks up to the sky, taking in the sea of stars overhead. Then he looks back at the group.
"Now, it is late, and if you wish to be gone by the time the sun rises, you must rest. If you must call me or one of the other elders do not continuously ask the lupus, as this type of summoning takes much energy to accomplish, and is dangerous to begin with. You are lucky she pulled it off without a problem but next time it may not be so easy."
With those parting words his figure fades away, the fire returning to normal. The clearing is quiet for a minute afterward as everyone absorbs his words.
"I can't believe that actually worked."
The slayers look to where Crystal sits next to the fire, her eyes on the flames at first before her gaze flicks up to them and she grins.
"That summoning is always a fifty/ fifty chance, and to have it work so well is amazing."
They move until they're sitting around the fire and Wendy frowns. "It may have worked but I think we should listen to Ryu and not do it again."
Crystal yawns and nods. "You got me there, it took a lot out of me to do that. I think I'm gonna turn in for the night." She stands and shifts as she walks over to lay near where Kuma sleeps, leaving the slayers to turn in as well.
Grizzly out for the night.
