Mythical Times

Chapter 4: The Nymph and The Shapeshifter

They were walking down a dirt road towards their destination, although they still had 3 more days. Thorn and Quatre were walking ahead of the group talking amicably and laughing. Wufei was somewhere nearby, doing vampire things, and Duo was taking up the rear sulking, his petulant eyes darting back and forth between Thorn and Quatre. Why does Thorn let wolf boy touch her so casually and talk to her when she does her best to ignore me when I talk to her? They are having a grand 'ol time. When I talk that much she just gives me a few words and a death stare that says 'shut up Duo', He thought angrily.

Glare. "Stupid female-stealing, blonde, baby faced werewolf." He muttered, kicking a stone. It bounced toward Quatre but stopped short just a few feet behind the blonde. Damn. Duo continued to kick rocks as he thought.

Thorn turned around to glare as three small rocks hit her but stopped at the look he had on his face. He looked angry about something but his eyes were somewhat lost in thought. She tilted her head to the side. Wonder what he's thinking about? She shrugged and continued talking to Quatre.

They turned a corner to continue toward the south side of the city but Duo continued to walk strait ahead, deeper into the woods. He didn't seem to notice until he came to a small lake and the others were nowhere to be found.

"What? Thorn? Wufei? Where did you go? Guys?" He wondered around the lake aimlessly shouting while, unknown to him, a pair of eyes were watching him from the water. Duo shrugged and sat down next to the lake. "What am I going to do? I can't find them. I must have gotten too far behind them…or dog boy grabbed Thorn and ran off with her, leaving me behind." A picture of Quatre picking Thorn up, slinging her over his shoulder, and running off with her, laughing all the way flashed in his head. Duo growled.

He scoped up some water and took a sip then splashed angrily. He hadn't noticed how thirsty he was until now. As he reached back into the water a liquid arm reached up and grabbed his wrist. He gave a loud yelp as it tugged him into the lake. A great splash rose up and he came up sputtering water. He gasped.

Beneath him, a pair of hands wrapped around his ankle and yanked at him, trying to submerge him. He flailed wildly yelling helplessly, while, at the same time attracting the attention of every creature within a 2 mile radius, both dangerous and friendly. Under the water the creature's beautiful face twisted and she hissed, causing little air bubbles to form. The long almost translucent blue fin-like ears flattened against her head.

She did not wish to loose her prey to other creatures, for she was very hungry.

She yanked down again and Duo went under. She wrapped her long thin arms around his legs and enjoyed herself as she sunk down. The gills just behind her long ears puffed then let out the bubbles as she smirked. Her shimmering silver dollar eyes sparkled happily. Suddenly her prey was pulled to the surface and she lost her happy look. The water nymph was pulled up still attached to his legs.

Thorn and Quatre both looked up at the sound of the yelling. She blinked. That couldn't be who she thought it sounded like. He was right behind them. She turned, ready to smile at Duo. But he wasn't there. She looked around, her gold eyes searching frantically. Wufei wasn't around either.

Quatre was already beside her in his large wolf form on all fours ready to carry her. She smiled and hopped on his back. They took off like a flash of lightning back the way they came, in search of Duo and Wufei.

Duo was pulled up gasping for air before he let out the long stream of yowls about his precious hair that was being used as rope to pull him up. The person on the other end grunted rather loudly, flashing disdainful eyes.

"Elf… if you don't shut that large mouth and quit that caterwauling of yours I'll let that nymph eat you. It is the only thing your good for at this point." Wufei said pulling Duo to shore by his hair. Duo quieted slightly.

"Wufei?"

"Yes, baka?"

"What are you doing?"

"I'm saving you for some strange reason." Wufei said. They were close to shore now. Duo could feel his feet touching the bottom. He scrambled up with his hands seeing as his feet currently were being held captive. Wufei helped Duo up and finally the nymph became visible to them. Her lithe body was clutching onto Duo with all her might. Her legs and arms were wrapped around his legs and she was hissing up at the vampire.

"Let go, vampire! This is my food! I got him first." Morgyn hissed through her sharp canines. Her skin, now exposed to the air went to a normal shade of pale peach with a slight blue tint to it. Long blue hair streaked with aquamarine and ocean blue flowed over her shoulders. With a growl Wufei pulled Duo farther onto shore and out of the water.

The nymph pulled back her lips for a snarl and she dug her pointed nails into Duo's legs. He howled.

Just then Thorn and Quatre bounded into the clearing by the lake and stopped short.

"What the...? What is going on?" Thorn said, dismounting from happily panting Quatre-wolf. She patted his furry head in thanks and then approached Wufei, Duo, and the nymph clutching Duo's legs.

"Help me! She wants to EAT me!" Duo yelped. Thorn blinked.

"Um…"

"Just help." Wufei said with a growl. The black haired girl nodded and grabbed one of Duo's arms. They both pulled him up onto dry land, nymph and all, and let go. Wufei picked Duo up and Thorn bent down in front of the nymph that was desperately holding onto Duo's legs.

"Excuse me? Miss Nymph? Can you please let my friend go?" She asked it. Silver dollar eyes popped open and looked Thorn up and down before settling on Thorns gold eyes. The nymph appeared to be mulling over her options because she nodded slowly.

"Fine, but only because I don't want you to cast a spell on me, sorceress." The nymph said untangling herself from Duo's legs

"Sorceress?" Thorn tilted her head to the side and Wufei quickly slapped a hand over her mouth. He shook his head, willing her not to speak.

"Just go along with it and say you're a sorceress." The vampire whispered into her ear. Thorn nodded making it a mental note to ask why the nymph would think she was a sorceress. With a smile now firmly in place, she looked back at the nymph, who was now sitting on the ground looking up at them. Unfortunately the nymph was now exposed, and by exposed, Thorn meant fully exposed. Birthday suit exposed.

"Many thanks to you but aren't you chilly? It is kind of... cool out today." Thorn said trying to make it sound like she knew what she was doing. The nymph shook her head.

"No I am quite comfortable. Clothes are constricting." Morgyn said matter-of-factly.

"What the sorceress meant was that it would be more appropriate if you had something on." Quatre said coming up behind Thorn and placing his hands on her shoulders affectionately. From on the ground where elf sat sputtering, Duo glared up at the wolf-boy. His frustrations renewed at not only having almost been eaten, but at being reminded of the issue of female-stealing wolf boys. The nymph sighed.

"Fine if that is what she wishes than I with cover myself." Morgyn stood and headed towards that the reeds and water lily covered section of the small lake. She disappeared for a minute and then reappeared wearing a water lily bikini and an impromptu skirt made of water vegetation. "Is this better?"

"Yes. Thank you very much." Thorn said happily. Then conversation lulled for a few minutes, except for Duo's coughs that came every so often. The braided elf looked up at Thorn expectantly, like he wanted for her to run into his arms and ask him if he was okay. She smiled, slightly. "Are you okay Duo? You had me worried when I found out that you weren't walking behind us like you had been. And then Quatre and I heard the scream."

He smiled in a relief at her words. So she had been worried about him. Yay, he felt better already. She turned back to the water nymph.

"So…what's your name?" Thorn asked pleasantly to start conversation with the nymph. The nymph made a slight bow.

"I am Morgyn and may I ask your name and the others that travel with you?"

"I'm Thorn and the elf you just tried to eat is Duo, the vampire's Wufei, and the werewolf is Quatre."

"Well Thorn I must say that it is not every day that I meet a sorceress. Especially one that wears peasant clothes." Thorn blinked. I spent 100 bucks on this dress alone, She thought irritably.

"I'm…"

"She has disguised herself." Wufei retorted with a disdainful snort, as if to say, Of course she would disguise herself, fool.

"Then she should disguise her eyes." The nymph said coolly, turning back to the water. "My mate is coming. He will be here by nightfall. Would you care to join us for dinner?"

It was nearly dark out and they began to set up a bonfire beside the small lake. As soon at it was lit there were fish roasting above the fire, courtesy of the Morgyn, along with some other animals that had been caught. Everyone took a seat around the fire and waited for the food. Duo had moved as close as possible to Thorn. Well, as close as she would let him. Quatre was, much to Duo's distress, curled up and asleep around Thorn. Wufei had left to hunt and Thorn and Morgyn were chatting over a few small slices of wild fruit.

"So…" Thorn drawled out casually. "How could you tell I was a sorceress?"

"Like I said. Your eyes gave you away." Morgyn leaned forward and whispered. "Only sorceresses have exotic eyes like that. It is said that only very powerful sorceresses are born with gold eyes."

Thorn blinked. "Ah I see." She looked at the Duo who was dozing, and Quatre who was asleep for nodded. "Lets change the topic now shall we?" and she gave a head nod in the two boys general direction.

"That is fine with me."

"Okay, so I've been wondering Morgyn…how did you make that cute outfit of yours? You were only gone for a minute." Thorn asked munching on another slice. Morgyn smiled.

"You forget, sorceress, that I am a water nymph. I control all things that are water including the water vegetation. This outfit made itself." Thorn was wide eyed.

"Wow. I wish I had something to wear that would make it self. I've been in these clothes so long. I feel so dirty."

"Would you like an outfit like this?" When Thorn nodded Morgyn continued. "Well I can take you to a more secluded part of the lake and you can wash up. Then I'll make you an outfit like this that you can wear while we wash your old clothes." The raven haired girl bounced enthusiastically, waking the adorable Quatre-wolf up. The wolf looked up groggily with his aqua blue eyes.

"Quatre…I'm going to get washed up before dinner. Morgyn is going to help me. Okay?" The wolf nodded while yawning, then rested his head back down to go back to sleep. Morgyn got up and Thorn followed happily.

The nymph brought the teenage girl to a part of the lake that was practically surrounded by trees and foliage. The calm water was crystal clear, reflecting the moon and the stars above.

"It's beautiful." Thorn sighed. Morgyn nodded and then turned to her. The raven haired girl looked back at the nymph.

"Strip."

"What?!"

"Don't be shy, we're both women and, besides, I have a mate."

"Yes I see your point." Thorn blushed slightly as she started to remove her attire. The water nymph merely slipped into the water and the outfit of lilies and water vegetation untangled itself from her lithe, curvy form. Thorn slipped silently into the water and looked around. Hopefully Duo wasn't spying because if he was she was going to kill him. This was definitely not a peep show.

She felt so much better now that she was in the water and cleaning herself. After 10 minutes of the soothing clean feeling Thorn was about ready to get out. She turned around…

Only to come face to face with a Prussian blue eyed teen…that was wearing absolutely nothing. After looking down Thorn finally seemed to realize that this was indeed a naked male and not an illusion. She blushed a bright crimson and looked away from the haunting blue eyes. Behind her Morgyn clapped in delight.

"Heero!" She exclaimed. "There you are." The dark brown haired guy, Heero, pushed past Thorn and approached the nymph. She wrapped her arms around him and gave him a scorching kiss. "What took you so long?"

"Pressing matters from the elders. They seem to be sensing a powerful presence in the woods. That, and Relena cornered me again and told me to lose you and come back to her."

"I hate that wench." Morgyn muttered under her breath. "Anyway…Heero I would like you to meet my obviously startled new friend Thorn. She's a sorceress." Morgyn turned Heero to Thorn who was now staring at them and trying not to looked down at his godly body.

"A sorceress." It could have been a question but is sounded more like a statement as he looked her up and down and then settled on her eyes just as the nymph had done when they had first met. He raised a dark eye brow.

"Um…well…I'm not…not really…" Thorn stuttered, looking up at the sky in an attempt to not continue to stare at his nude form. Why doesn't anyone wear clothes around this lake?!

"What are you trying to say, woman?"

Thorn whipped around. "WUFEI!" the golden eyed girl yelped as she sunk into the water as fast as she could. She tried to cover herself with her hands. Blushing and feeling helpless without her clothes, Thorn looked up at Wufei indignantly. Was it just her imagination or was he blushing too? No. It must have been a trick of the moon light.

"The meat is cooked. Hurry up before that elf eats all the food."

"We'll all be right there." Morgyn said coming up behind Thorn. Wufei vanished quickly into the woods in the general direction of the camp. "Hold still." Morgyn said. The nymph closed her eyes and Thorn felt the vegetation weave round her. At her beasts were lotus blossoms which she hadn't even seen in the lake and she had a small skirt of lake vegetation weaved around her.

At first it felt very strange, like very cold, slipper silk, and then she got used to the feeling and it indeed felt like she was wearing clothes. Comfortable ones. The nymph was also in her water lily attire. The teen that had been in there with them had slipped out and was now waiting at the side of the lake in a pair of black pants and a loose green tunic.

Thorn grabbed her clothes and they went back to the camp site. There were separate plates for each of them with food on them. Thorn ate quickly and the brought her clothes to the lake to wash and hang up on a branch to dry. She took special care of trying to find a hiding place for her more 'personal' clothes that she didn't want Duo finding before going back.

Once back at the fire she curled up with Quatre-wolf and not long after that Duo joined in the warm mass that they made. Thorn was too tired to tell him to go away so she just let him curl up with her. She'd yell at him tomorrow.

Speaking of tomorrow…they were going to a small village.

~Owari

Long but pointless. No real plot line just introducing more characters. Trowa will appear in later chapters and some secrets will be unveiled.