They ran to the edge of a large lake, where a window—a broken window overlooked. Midori looked around, feeling frustrated and jaded, and said, "Just what are we looking for?" she asked Nicola, who had sat on the ground, shoulders sagging in exhaustion. "Look for feathers, particularly black with tints of red. They look like hawk feathers…" the shifter replied.
"Hawk feathers? Is that why I was dragged here for?" Midori glared at Nicola.
Nicola put her head in her hands and replied, "Wouldn't you help him as he has you many times?"
"Whom are you talking about?" Midori took a seat beside her friend.
The shifter sighed deeply, "Let me put it this way, the black hawk is important to you and…Midori…Kalen's hawk shape gives him immortality now."
"What!" the squire's face visibly paled, "You're mad!"
"No I am not." Nicola calmly replied. Midori rushed to stand when Nicola took her arm and she tripped. "Now you sit, I'm not done!"
"But he could drown out there!" "Wings are not good in water!" She argued.
"Listen. He can be killed only if slain, old age and sickness do not affect him. The gods can also kill him if they see fit, you have no control over this, you understand?"
Midori nodded, standing and running to dive in the lake.
"Wait!"
Midori turned, "What is it?"
"Eat this first." Nicola tossed her a pouch of some strange silver kelp that shone with a pulsing white light.
"Kelp?" Midori cocked an eyebrow.
"I carry some all the time. Trust me, this kelp is different." Nicola told her, "Just eat a few pieces of it, though a word of caution: You may want to be swimming when you eat those and I'm speaking from personal experience."
Midori discarded her tunic, leaving it on the ground, but left on her white shirt, took three pieces from the pouch and tossed the pouch back to Nicola. Diving into the chilly water, the water quickly embracing her in its grasp, she came up for air and ate one of the pieces of kelp, feeling the magic begin to work immediately. She ate the other two quickly and gasped as she tried to take a breath of air and felt her throat close up.
"Dive!" she heard Nicola order and as she sank, she realized she could breathe easier, just as she could above water. Then she felt her neck and touched the slits of gills, looking down she saw her legs had turned to an emerald-green tail and that it contrasted with the white shirt she wore.
Midori had only heard of mermaids in tales and poems, never dreaming she'd ever become one herself.
Swimming deeper, she saw a black form falling through the water, seemingly unconscious. She charged for it, bubbles streaming behind her.
Kalen sank lower into the water. Thoughts. Feelings. Blackness. Nothing ran through his mind except fear. The white light of the sun glistened on the surface and he struggled to swim, hawk wings dragging him down.
Suddenly he found himself being lifted to the white light of the sun. Was he dying? Or better yet saved?
Midori dragged Kalen out of the lake and as she did his hawk shape evaporated to his clothed human form. Nicola tossed a blanket over to him and he wrapped it around himself, he felt himself being helped up by both Midori and Nicola.
"Are you alright?" Midori asked, green eyes concerned.
"Yes. It was something I couldn't control." He explained.
"The shifting?" Nicole said as Kalen nodded.
"I believe the gods have given me the consequences of life after death." Kalen muttered, a slight smile creeping upon his face.
"Then I believe some of those consequences were good." Midori replied, kissing him.
A/N: Not the best chapter but it was hard to write. Next chappie is going to be…interesting. No weird twists though, I hope. There will be some weird lines in the next chap I think, depending on how it goes!
Ideas are always welcome!
AND…After the next chappie will be the convincing of Jon, with all the squires together again…and THEN the Chamber of Ordeal will be upon them…
Ideas for the Chamber scenes ARE MOST WELCOME! I may use it AND it would make for more horrific, interesting scenes!
Regards,
- Notebook