~Chapter 11~

Wynne walked across the tree limb and leaped easily to the next.  She had to choose two people to tell the entire truth to.  Why had Daire even asked her to?

An'desha was like her, part cat and different from the others, that it had made it easier to tell him.  Daire wasn't human in anything but mind.  Who else did she feel comfortable enough around to tell the truth to?

She curled in the crook of a tree that afforded her a clear view of the field.  She was fairly certain Daire meant two people here, inside the palace grounds, and not Companions.

Julian was a possibility.  She was scared he would look at her with fear, or worse, disgust.  She had read his book cover to cover and had enjoyed most of it, except of the single page that described her. 

 Then again, the attraction was showing no signs of fading.  Her mother had told her that one day she may find a man who called her soul, her mate.  If Julian was indeed her mate she would have to tell him eventually and if she waited he may feel like she betrayed him. 

:Hello little Blackberry.:  Altra padded to her tree.

:Hello Altra.:  Wynne responded distractedly.

:You look worried about something.:

:Nothing you could help me with.:  Wynne peered down at him.  :Is something wrong with you or Karal?:

:No, I am just out for a stroll while Karal chats with Natoli.  Care to join me?:

Wynne gave him a feline grin.  :Just so you know, you aren't my type.:

Altra laughed.  :You are too feisty for an old cat such as myself.:

:Glad to see you know your limits.:  Wynne leaped down to land next to him.  :You are to…priestly for me.  I like my men much earthier.:

:Like Julian.:

Wynne smiled and purred slightly.  :Yes.  Is it alright if I ask what is wrong with Karal's eyes?:

:You may ask, it's common knowledge.  He was blinded trying to stop the Mage Storms.:

Wynne knew she could cope with out her eyesight since her other senses were so developed but a human was very reliant on his sight.  :You act as his eyes, don't you.:

:Yes.  It is the least I can do.:

:It was your fault he was blinded?:  Wynne asked, confused.

:Not directly.  It was unfortunate effect of the weapon we chose.:  Altra said sadly.

:He is a nice man.  I don't like seeing good people in pain.:

:There is no pain.:

:Except when he runs into things.:  Wynne pointed out.  :I have some things to see to.  Talk to you later.:  Wynne licked his cheek and bound through the snow before she lost her nerve about telling Julian.  The sooner it was over with the less likely she was to get a bleeding stomach from all this fretting and the sooner she would know how he would react.

Wynne donned a grey shirt and skirt then opened the manuscript to the page with 'Shifters' written across the top.  She tucked a ribbon between the pages.

Closing the manuscript again she caressed the fine leather of the folder.  She loved the smell of this book.  Paper, leather, and Julian.

She picked up the manuscript and took a deep breath. 

Lady of the Stars, if you listen, let him have an open mind. 

Her bare feet were soundless on the stone floor as she padded through the hall until she reached the Herald's wing.  On the second floor she paused just outside his door.  She knocked lightly.

"Come in."  He called rather distractedly.

"It's me.  I just wanted to return your manuscript."

Julian stood from his desk and accepted the massive bundle.  "I did warn you it would be dry reading."

"Actually I found it fascinating."  Wynne corrected him.  "I finished reading it."

"The entire thing?"  Julian asked in disbelief.

"From first page to last."  Wynne confirmed.  "The only problem I saw was with the Shifters.  You made them sound like they were more blood thirsty that their creator."

"I am going to look for more information on them."  He assured her.  "Other than that, what did you think, honestly?"

"It was wonderful.  May I come in?"

"Of course.  Sorry about the disaster."  He gestured to the scattered piles of paper.

Wynne sat gingerly on the edge of the bed.  "Actually I know some more about Shifters."

"Really, do you mind if I take notes?"

"If you want."  Wynne had deliberately chosen loose clothes so she wouldn't have to remove them before shifting.

Julian found a spare piece of paper and a pen.

Wynne clasped her hands on her lap.

"Are you alright?  You look nervous."

She said nothing but shifted into a small cat.

He cursed and bolted out of his chair.  Wynne was covered in the fabric of her clothes and was struggling to get out of the clinging fabric.

He careful extracted her from the fabric and lifted her up.  "You are Berry?"

:Yes.  I am a Shifter.:

"Incredible.  I can't see any difference between you and a real cat physically."

Wynne released her breath.  :That is the entire point.  We were supposed to be undetectable spies.  The mage who made us didn't take kindly to the fact that we wouldn't take orders and tossed us into the wilderness to die.:

"Obviously you didn't."  He sat down and set Wynne on his lap.  "I would never have guessed you would be anything but human."

:You are taking this much better than I thought.:

"I thought you were a spirit or something of the like before."  He scratched her ear. 

Wynne curled up in his lap and started to purr.  :I was worried you would think I was like the description in the book.:

"Obviously you aren't.  Kero will have a thousand questions for you."

:Please don't tell anyone.:  Wynne pleaded.  :I don't want anyone else to know.:

"Why not?"  Julian asked confused.

:I…it…I…it's not that I don't trust you or the others but I just don't want it to be known by anyone else.:

"I won't tell anyone, not even my Companion, if that is what you want."

Wynne relaxed and licked his hand.  :Thank you.:

"Why did you tell me if you don't want anyone to know?" 

:It is a little complicated.:  Wynne sat up and stared at his face.  :Would you believe me if I said it is because you smell good?:

"I beg your pardon?"

:You smell good, I know it sounds odd but I can get a very good measure of a person by their scent.:  Wynne wondered how much to say.

Julian chuckled.  "My scent.  I did hear that cats have a superior sense of smell."

:And hearing, and sight.  The only area that humans are superior is taste, which is a blessing considering cats eat mice.:  Wynne shuddered.  :Personally, I like fish with lemon sauce.:

"So why did you tell me?"

:Because I wanted to see your reaction.:  Wynne leaped to the ground and shifted into a snow leopard.  :I have three forms; domestic cat, jaguar, and snow leopard.:

Julian was obviously stunned again.  "You are massive!"

Wynne cocked her head to the side.  :We were created to kill, we just didn't want to.  In this form I can easily crush the skull of a large deer, I can leap thirty feet and take down an animal four times my own weight.:

"So it wasn't that you were too vicious for him, you were too ethical for him."  Julian turned and scribbled something on the blank paper.

:We wouldn't take orders.  I don't know about the others, but I wouldn't describe my family as the most ethical of creatures.  I was a thief and only stopped because I didn't want to be caught and leave the children alone.  My parents and brothers were also thieves and they all were caught eventually hung.  We used to live in the new rich area, which should give you an idea of how much we stole.  We are miserable business people by nature.  Thankfully the children are Halflings and are better able to live among humans.:

"Fascinating…"  He scribbled what she said.

Wynne was actually feeling much better now, like a weight had been removed from her shoulders.  He didn't call her a monster or a killer as she had feared.  Instead he seemed fascinated by her.

:I better get going.:  She shifted.  "Daire is waiting for me."

Julian looked away as she dressed.  "Do you mind if I ask you some questions later?"

"If you want.  Just a warning, I know very little about my own people.  My family was the only ones in Valdemar and they never spoke of where we were from or why we came here."  Wynne tied the strings of her shirt.  "I'll see you around."

Julian wondered why his reaction was important to her. 

~*~

Wynne strolled across the field towards the Stable.  All her fears about his reaction to her had been soothed.

:You look like the cat who stole the cream.:  Daire commented.

"I didn't even touch the cream."  Wynne assured him with a smile.

:How did it go?:

"Good.  He seemed more interested than revolted."  Wynne grinned and leaned close to Daire.  "He even scratched my ear."

Daire tossed his head in amusement.  :Only you think that an ear scratch is an erotic encounter.:

"Oh, but it is."  She said with a mischievous gleam in her eye.

:So who else will you trust?:

"I have two months."  Wynne reminded him.

"Wynne, aren't you freezing?"  Dirk ran over to her.

Wynne glanced at Daire.  :Is it that cold out here?:

:Too humans, yes.:  He knew from their mountain excursion that she didn't usually notice the cold. 

:How am I going to explain this?:  Wynne smiled as Dirk approached.  "I am used to these temperatures."

Dirk shook his head looking like he doubted Wynne's intelligence.  "You should get inside before you get frost bite."

Wynne realised she must look foolish standing here in her bare feet.  "I just wanted to speak with Daire.  What's brought you out here?"

"Just taking a walk."  Dirk walked with her back to the Collegium.  "How are you coming with your books?"

"Slowly.  There is a lot inside those pages.  Have you read Julian's manuscript yet?"

"Has he finished it?"

"Yes, I just finished it myself.  It is massive but very interesting.  I hope he publishes it."

"He has been working on that book for five years now, ever since he first saw the gryphons and Rris, a kyree."

"I couldn't believe how many creatures were created for those wars.  Imagine just being made to fight and die."  Wynne shivered.

"I don't think why they were created is as important as what they are now."  Dirk commented as they parted. 

Wynne was still thinking about that his response as she sat at her desk.