~Chapter 10~

Wynne knew An'desha was alone in the strange indoor garden before she even opened the door.  She padded through the greenery to a set of stairs going to the second floor.  She meowed to get his attention.

She found him lying on his back on a bed with his eyes closed.  She knew from his scent that he wasn't sleeping, but he wasn't awake.  She jumped on to his chest and noticed his breathing was slow, almost like a sleepers.  Very odd.

Curiosity may kill the cat, but only when it could catch her.

Wynne lay on his chest with her paws tucked under her and closed her eyes.  He would wake soon enough. 

She dozed lightly, dreaming of the mountains and the freedom of the barren heights. 

As An'desha's breathing returned to normal she opened her eyes.

He levered himself up on his elbows and stared down at her.

She was surprised to see his eyes were slit like hers.  :Good afternoon sleepyhead.:

"I have wondered where you were."

:Here, I have just been busy.:

"What does a cat have to do?"

Wynne ignored her instincts and jumped to the ground and shifted.

An'desha's eyebrows flew up into his hair.

"I have had classes."  Wynne explained.

"With what Collegium?"

"Heraldic."

An'desha swung his legs off the side of the bed and grinned.  "They don't have a clue about what you are, do they?"

"Absolutely none."  Wynne sat cross legged on the ground.

"Are you going to tell them?"

"No.  I am only showing you because you seem to know about Shifters and I need some answers.  There is no one else to ask."

"What's wrong?"

"A great deal.  I have never met any Shifter outside my family and they are all dead so I don't know much about what I am."

"I don't know anything about what happened to Shifters after Ma'ar abandoned them but I can tell you about before that."

"That would be good."

"First of all, Shifters then couldn't become wholly human like you obviously can.  They could become a human-cat hybrid.  A design Ma'ar liked a great deal, he used it several times after that.  He searched his Empire for all babes with adept potential and merged them with cat-spirits.  About half died immediately, more were so warped they couldn't survive more than a week, only a handful still looked like human children.

"He kept those and used magic to ingrain instincts into them, like the instinct to keep secrets.  He also tried to ingrain loyalty into but it back fired.  Instead of being loyal to him when they reached adulthood they were loyal to each other.  Like a clan.  But I am getting ahead of myself.

"Ma'ar started this project even before he clashed with Urtho.  He wanted the perfect spy, a creature that would in undetectable to mages and perfectly common place.  Dogs needed too much supervision, he wanted them loyal but independent enough to make decisions that would benefit him.  Birds were too flighty.  Horses couldn't go inside.  Mice were too small.  He decided on cats.  His first successful Shifter was a house cat like yourself, she was grey, black, and white.  He made two more house cats, one of which was later killed.  He decided to make some large cats to protect the smaller spies and also thought they would be more lethal."

Wynne smiled slightly, a snow leopard could bite through the skull of a deer and leap thirty feet, if he wanted lethal he certainly succeeded.

"During the war he sent them out several times but he didn't learn much from them.  Something I suspect was deliberate on their part.  He kept them mostly for entertainment purposes since they had incredibly strong instincts to mate.  Another instinct he used a great deal later."

An'desha looked pained.

"Do you wish to stop?"  Wynne asked worriedly.

"When the group numbered about seventy he decided to send them to take over a fort from within.  They refused.  When he tried to coerce them but the same protections he had given them prevented him from harming them.  Since they had been kept secret to keep Urtho from discovering them he couldn't call in his bodyguard to deal with them and nothing would get him to face seventy pairs of claws of magically-immune creatures."

"He would have been stupid to even attempt it."  Wynne nodded in agreement.

 "He created a Gate and a powerful wind and blew them into one of the harshest, remote places he knew of hoping they would die."

Wynne nodded.  "Our history says there was a lot of in fighting in the wilderness and that there was only forty.  The larger cats hunted for the group and they managed to survive.  After one year in the wilderness they knew that wasn't what they wanted to be so they set to work Changing themselves to look human."

"That explains your appearance.  They sound very resourceful.  I admit I am a little surprised that with such a small population base there wasn't problems with inbreeding."

Wynne shrugged.  "Maybe there are problems.  You only know of me."

"True.  I doubt I would be able to find any others."

Wynne cocked her head to one side.  "Do you want to go looking for others?  I want to."

"You have classes."  An'desha pointed out.

"I think I should find more of my kind."

"What about your mate?"

"He thinks Shifters were killers."  Wynne grimaced.  "He doesn't know I am Berry and Wynne."

"The instinct seems to have toned down a bit."

Wynne shook her head.  "Every time I smell him I want to drag him off into the nearest set of shadows.  Those instincts are pains in the tail."

An'desha chuckled at the look on her face.  "Obviously you are stronger than your instincts."

"Not always."  Wynne admitted. 

"You should get back before you are missed."

Wynne shifted to small black house cat and preceded him down the stairs.  Just before she left she glanced up at him.  :Go to the Purple Cat sometime, I have three nephews and a niece, all Halflings, I think you will like them.:

"Why do I get the feeling I am now part of your clan?"

:Is that such a bad thing?:  Wynne padded out into the snow.

~*~

Wynne wasn't even breathing hard yet but her opponent was sweating and his chest was heaving.  Thankfully Shifters didn't sweat. 

"How can you still be so cool?"  Her sparring partner asked.

"Stamina."  She said simply and twisted away from his lunge.

"You're good."  He stood down and removed the protective mask.  Garun wiped the sweat from his face.  "I have been taught since I was six and I have never seen anything move as fast as you do."

Wynne removed her mask and fluffed her hair with her fingers.  "I am not that fast, you are just slow."

Garun laughed.   "I heard you are proving a natural at equitation too."

Wynne shrugged.  "I have good balance and I have been practicing with Daire."

They stripped off their sparring gear and started to stretch out.

"You know, if you keep staring at Yoli she is going to think you have lost your wits."  Wynne commented.

Garun stiffened.

"Don't worry, she hasn't commented yet."  Wynne assured him. 

Garun stood and stared at her.

Wynne smiled slightly.  "Her birthing day is five days from now.  I know she has no plans yet."

"Did she mention if there was anything she wanted to do?"

Wynne smiled slightly, she couldn't mention what Yoli wanted to do.  "I think she would like some dainty pastries and a picnic."

"It's the middle of winter."

Wynne smiled knowingly.  "You have a room, don't you?"

Garun looked so young when he blushed. 

He cleared his throat, "How are your classes going?"

"Slowly."  Wynne grumbled.  "It is hard for me to learn in a classroom for some reason."

"I am sorry to hear it.  I am sure it will get easier."

"I hope so."  Wynne said doubtfully.  "How is your fetching class coming along?"

"It is getting easier.  Dirk's a great teacher."

"You're improving, Wynne."  Captain Kerowyn stopped by her.  "But watch your guard on your left."

Wynne bristled.  "Thank you Captain."

She hated people who spoke down to her, no matter what their rank.  Something humans seemed to enjoy doing.  She wondered what other Shifters felt about humans.

:Daire, would you like to go on a bit of a trip?:

:To where?:

:To find other Shifters.:

:You have classes.:  Daire reminded her.

:I know.:

:Then when would we go?:

:Now.:

Daire heaved a mental sigh.  :I already mentioned your classes.:

:They can wait.:  Wynne said impatiently.

Daire seemed to hesitate for a moment.  :Do you find humans so distasteful?:

:No, well, at least not most of them.  The problem isn't them, it's me.  I am not Human, I don't think like them, I don't see the world like them.  I am just not one of them.:

:If I said I want to stay, you would leave with out me, wouldn't you.:  Daire stated.

:Yes.:

Daire gave a mental grumble.  :I can't imagine what you'll be like when you are a Herald.  You will be expected to take orders.:

Wynne stopped her stretching and glanced speculatively at the window.  :Maybe I am not meant to be here.:

:But Heralds are meant to be here.:

:I don't think I have what it takes to be a Herald.  You said yourself I don't take orders.  I don't even understand why they are so loyal to a country of people who aren't theirs.:

~*~

Daire didn't know what more to do.  Wynne had only been here for little over two weeks and she already wanted to clear out.  He had hoped she would take to the Collegium but she just couldn't focus in class with all those people she couldn't see bustling about.  She did have a natural instinct to help others but she couldn't grasp the concept of protecting a country.

He swore to her that he wouldn't tell anyone about her true nature but he need some advice.  That meant his only option was to speak to An'desha.

He found the Shaman just leaving the palace.

:An'desha, may I speak with you?:  He asked respectfully as he paused a few feet away.

His eyebrow twitched.  :It seems the most unlikely people want to speak to me lately.:

:I need to speak to you about my Chosen, Wynne.:

:I never suspected the Shifters would survive.  What's wrong?:

:Nothing is wrong as such.:

:But she isn't human and isn't fitting in very well.:  An'desha ventured.

:It has only been two weeks.:

:I think she's just looking for a clan, or pack.  She used to live with her family but now that she no longer has that link she is trying to find herself a clan or family.:

:Is that why she wants to search for other Shifters?:

:Yes.:

Daire considered this for several minutes.  :How does she choose her clan?:

:I don't know.  I think they are people she trusts and cares for.:

:Thank you.:  Daire turned away.

:You're welcome.:  An'desha continued on his way.

~*~

Daire was waiting just outside the door for Wynne.  :I have a compromise for you.:

:Really?:  Wynne looked a little suspicious.

:Give us two months.  If you still want to go searching for Shifters, we will.:

:And until then?:

:Until then…I would hope you would find a few people you could trust with the entire truth.:

Wynne considered this.  :How many people?:

:Two, other than An'desha.  That is all I ask.:

Wynne stared at the sky for several minutes.  :Very well.:

:Thank you.:  Daire nuzzled her cheek.  :Just give us a chance.: