Another half a year passed. I was now six years old, and my status in the Clan had skyrocketed.

After killing the man that infiltrated the Clan and attempted to kill White Star and me, no one dared to try and cross me. Even White Star stayed away from me to a certain extent. The Chieftain left me alone more often now, not wanting to make the relationship between me and their family bad. He told me he didn't want such a promising girl who could spawn magnificent heirs to try and leave. It would be tragic to have to kill me, as he put it.

I started going on mission after mission, killing off men, women, and even children older or younger than me. I hadn't failed once, but I was starting to find some difficulty in my missions.

While me being as young as I am was a noticeable bonus, as not many people assume a six-year-old child was after them, I wasn't very good at acting. I wasn't afraid to admit my flaws.

And this is where my father came to me and offered me a remedy for the little hiccup in my perfect streak.

The day my father showed up for this lesson was just like any other day for me. I woke up and started training, and later on went to find another mission to take on.

I went to take another mission alongside White Star, the boy complaining to me that he hadn't gone on a mission in a week.

"So how do you chose your missions? Are they all easy, because you always win," He asked, crossing his arms as we looked over the mission board.

I didn't answer him right away. My eyes stayed glued to the board as I overlooked each mission statement. Some of them were simple assassination missions, and others involved killing and some ruining of reputations.

"Hello? Velvet Star I'm talking to you dammit!" White Star snapped, his hand smacking me upside the back of my head.

I hissed. More in annoyance than pain, and turned to look at him.

"If you give me a minute…" I answered, turning my gaze back up onto the board.

I heard him huff in annoyance, his foot beginning to tap repeatedly. I continued to look over the board for a good mission.

A few minutes passed…

"Nothing today. I'm going home."

I turned on my heel and walked away, allowing others to come up to the board to observe missions. I heard White Star scramble behind me, running up to me with confusion.

"Wait- what!? Hold on, didn't you say you were going to do a mission today, why are you suddenly changing your mind!?" He snapped, stepping in front of me and blocking my path.

I silently moved around him, walking through the square and to the house.

"Simple. I only take missions that can boost my reputation. If there is none, then I don't take one, and use the time to train. That's how you climb the ranks here," I explained.

White Star scoffed at me, stomping up to my side.

"That makes no sense! Why not just… do mission after mission? You'd never lose a day in training!" He argued.

Thankfully, his vocabulary had grown quite a bit after living with me for maybe two years. He might've been a few months younger than me, so he was still super young. But, at least I was rubbing off on him in some way.

"That would make it seem like I'm trying too hard. If I go on mission after mission after mission, it would make me seem desperate. And depending on the difficulty level, I'm either trying too hard, or not trying at all. Climbing the ranks, gaining new skills, taking timing. As all things do," I countered, walking up the steps to the higher class section of the village.

Our village was separated by rank. The higher your statues, the higher on the hill your house was. It was kind of ironic in a way.

White Star clearly did not like my explanation. He rolled his eyes and walked up to get into my view.

"Not everything needs timing! Just because you want to take super hard missions doesn't mean you need to wai-"

Before he finished, I swung my foot into his ankle. White Star yelped in shock, flailing his arms around as he lost his balance. He stumbled and began to fall backward, seconds from hitting the ground. Right before he hit the pavement, I reached out and seized the collar of his shirt. I placed my foot over his and watched him dangle in my grip.

His eyes were blown wide in shock and fear, staring at me with a slacked jaw. Silence followed us for a few moments.

"...Everything takes timing."

I pulled him back up to his feet, tossing his shirt from my hand.

While I began to walk once more, he seemed to stay behind for a few moments more, as if contemplating what had just occurred.

To my luck, he didn't try to argue his point any further, accepting that he had been proven wrong.

When we reached the house, the Chieftain was sitting on the porch silently. He was sitting in a small rocking chair with a cigarette in-between his lips. The smoke gently trailed up into the air and he heaved breath after breath. The sound of me stepping onto the wooden step made him open his eyes.

"I see you two have returned. Any missions today?" He asked, taking a draw from his drug. I shook my head.

"No sir, there was nothing worth while. I will see about finding another one tomorrow. If you'll excuse me," I answered, giving him a small bow before turning to the door.

"Not yet Velvet Star."

I stopped.

The Chieftain turned his head to looked at me, pointing to the house with his thumb.

"Before you run off to train, there's someone in the house who wishes to speak with you. Says he has something he wishes train you in. I'll leave it up to you whether or not you take him up on his offer," He explained, silently turning back to his cigarette.

I cocked a brow in confusion, turning to the door cautiously. Who wanted to train me in what? Whoever it was, they didn't tell the Chieftain what they wanted to teach me.

I resumed my walk, gripping the handle of the door and cracking it open.

When I stepped inside, true to his word, a man was sitting on the couch patiently. I felt the hair on the back of my neck bristle.

My father.

Violet Star turned to look at me, his emerald eyes glistening.

"Velvet… nice to see you again," He murmured, turning his eyes downward awkwardly. I didn't blame him. I hadn't spoken with my parents since I left the house to live with the White Star's. It's a big factor as to why threatening their safety had next to no effect on me.

"Nice to see you too, Father. What do you need? The Chieftain says you have something to teach me?" I asked, walking over to the living area and sitting down on the couch opposite of him.

He nodded, leaning back into the cushion, "Yes. A technique that will improve your success rate beyond what it is now."

I felt my brows furrow in disbelief. "Father, I don't know if you're aware, but I've been training these whole two years we haven't been in contact. I am not at the same level as I was before."

He shook his head, "Oh I don't doubt that for a second. I know your fighting abilities as increased. I wouldn't be shocked if you could best me in a fight right here and now."

I snorted.

"But what you don't know, is how to use a technique unique to our family and our family alone."

Despite myself, I felt a twitch of excitement. I loved learning new things, it was like a kryptonite to me. So when he said that, I leaned forward in anticipation.

"What you don't know, is how to Shapeshift."

My heart began to pound against my ribcage.

It was true, I didn't know. I knew I was one, for both of my parents were either full or almost completely of Shapeshifter blood.

"If I hear things correctly, the only flaw in your strategies is your lack of acting. Well, as a Shapeshifter, you can be rid of this flaw forever. Simply be transforming yourself into something that looks small, and meak, you can approach almost anyone. You can get through any security system. Anyone with a heart would pick you up and cradle you in their arms, and that's when you strike. It's the ultimate way to take your opponent's life before than even know you're truly there."

My father smiled at me. I guess he could see the excitement shining in my eyes. I think this was the only day in my life, where a love for my father coursed through me. He wanted to give me a way to surpass others around me. White Star would be furious at my acceleration.

I grinned.

"So… when do we start?" I asked, standing up from the couch.

Violet Star smiled, standing up with me and gesturing to the door.

"We can start now, if you wish."

I nodded vigorously, moving to the door excitedly. He followed behind me closely, letting me open the door and lead us out.

I saw the Chieftain and White Star turn to us when we walked out, their eyes observing us closely.

"So, what's the verdict?" The Chieftain asked, watching us as we walking down the stairs.

"I'm taking him up on his offer. The more skills I have, the better off I'll be."

The Chieftain nodded, turning back to White Star. White Star's eyes followed me for a bit longer, his gaze harsh and cold.

I turned away to ignore him, not wanting to acknowledge his negative stare.

We continued our way down the steps, moving away from the house and towards the training grounds. A few villagers did stare at us from time to time, shocked that I was seen with my parents again after cutting them off in a way.

I looked up at Violet Star, "So, where are we going to train? Platform A? B? The wood terrain or city-"

"The woods. Outside the village."

He interrupted me and answered my question before I got a chance to finish it. I closed my mouth at his abrupt answer. The woods? Why such an unstable area? The ground was messy with bushes and fallen trees, and the chances of us using the woods as a way to carry out kills was slim to none. So why such an area?

"You'll understand in a bit."

He answered my unspoken question, walking forward without another word.

I decided not to press the matter any further, not wanting to seem overeager, even if I was ecstatic to learn this new power that laid dormant in me since birth.

We took a quick turn out of the village, advancing into the woods. It was easy to enter the forest around my home, for the village was heavily surrounded by thick woods for protection. Most anyone who tried to get to our home either got lost in the wood, or was discovered by our well hidden scouts stationed all around. Well… except for that man who found his way in all those months ago.

I still wonder how, or even why we came in. He knew our precise location, and which house held the leader of our Clan. It made no sense to me. It wouldn't make sense until later for me though.

Violet Star and I walked on for half an hour in silence, diving well into the wood to isolate ourselves from the Clan and any other outside civilization. It wasn't until we reach a small clearing in the wood with a pool at it's center that my father stopped and turned to face me.

"Okay, I think we're well enough away to not be bothered," He murmured, more to himself than to me. I stopped behind him, watching him remove his shoes.

"Why do we stop here? Why do we need to be isolated to practice this?" I asked, staring at him as he removed his shoes. Violet Star grinned, tossing his boots aside. He sat down on a nearby rock, leaning on his knees to further explain the method to his madness.

"The Star Clan isn't very welcoming to Magic Users like you or I. Well, that's wrong. They're not receptive to me. One of the main reasons you were chosen to be Shadow is because of your Shapeshifter blood. You will provide the next heir of the Clan a power none have had before-"

I rolled my eyes.

"-But they don't appreciate me very much. The only reason the Chieftain allowed me to teach you today was because I coaxed him into believe it'll make the next heir powerful."

I rose a brow, "Will it not?"

Violet Star shrugged, moving a lock of his hair behind his ear.

"Dunno. Magic User blood is very fickle. The only reason I'm certain you have the ability to transform is because you're three-fourths. Some people who are born half and half, either don't have the power or do. Or some weird combination. What they don't know is that the chances of the next heir actually being able to shapeshift is actually 50/50. Hopefully, they won't be too… unhappy if the child turns out to not be able to shapeshift."

I felt a twitch of fear go off in my chest. I was unaware of the statistics of Magic Users and Hybrids. If I didn't bear an heir that could shapeshift, I might be killed for false promises. Not that I've promised anything.

"Well, no matter. It's not a big deal now, and who knows where this place'll be in ten years or so," he suddenly chirped, standing up from his seat. He walked over to the side of the pond and pointed to the grass.

"Alright, stand across from me."

I did as ordered. I walked over and stood parallel to him. He then pointed at my shoes.

"Take them off. This'll work better for you if you can feel the ground below your feet."

While it was an odd request, I didn't argue. I slipped off my shoes and tossed them aside, feeling the blades of grass slip in-between my toes. Violet Star nodded.

"Alright. Now, shapeshifting is actually simple in it's basic form. The only thing you need to do, is think about the other form you wish to take."

He placed his hands together and closed his eyes.

"Think about the form. Whatever canine you wish. From the mighty wolf, to the tricky hyena. See your body in your mind begin to shift and change. Watch your hands become powerful, digging paws. Your ears, longer and more acute. Your eyes, sharper and brighter. And before you can even comprehend it…"

His body gave off and gentle glow, and I watched in amazement as his body seemingly turned into liquid. He collapsed in on himself and began to change shape. Suddenly, he was half his original size, but with four legs and a long tail.

When the glow dimmed and faded away, I was greeted, not by a human, but by a large Siberian Husky. He was as big, if not bigger than me in his canine form.

I couldn't help but stand in shock at his sudden transformation. He slowly laid down in front of me, his eyes staring at me silently.

"That… that was amazing! I'm gonna try!"

I stood in the clearing and widened my stance, closing my eyes and beginning to focus my thoughts on shifting. I tried to think of my body turning into any kind of canine. I decided to try on a Siberian Husky, like my father had. I tried to think of my hands and ears turning, picturing myself as a dog, and not a human.

I tried, and tried, and tired.

I began to strain after thinking for a few minutes. I was thinking about it, but nothing was happening!

I could see my father give me an amused stare through his canine eyes. I could just tell that he was laughing at me within.

"What? Why is it not working!?"

He shook his head, the glow returning as he morphed back into his human form. He stood up, stretching out his arms and walking over to me.

"You're thinking too hard."

I stared up at him in disbelief. Thinking too hard? What the hell did that mean!?

"If you overfocus on it, you'll distract yourself. If you're thinking too hard about shapeshifting, you could leave yourself open for attacks. Let's just think about it like this."

He sat down on his rock and picked up a small stick. He began to draw in the dirt, sketching out a scenario.

"Let's just say you're on the run from an opponent. Your enemy shows that they can run just as fast, if not faster than you. You have no support, nowhere to hide. You need to be faster, faster than you are now. You need four legs, not two. You need to shapeshift."

I nodded.

Violet Star looked up at me, putting the stick down. He suddenly seized my shoulders, gripping me tightly and nearly lifted me up.

"Are you gonna stop in the middle of the pursuit, sit down, and begin to meditate on shapeshifting? Allowing your enemy to catch up with and make quick work of your young life?!"

I shook my head violently, a bit scared at his sudden aggression. And just like that, he put me down.

"Shapeshifting has to become a thought that occurs in the back of your mind. You know that when you fight, while you're main focus is on your opponent, you are calculating battle strategies, observing open points, and maintaining constant awareness of your surroundings?"

I nodded again.

"This is what shapeshifting must be for you. You must be able know you need more power, and you must be able to picture your body's transformation while maintaining the fight."

I let out a small 'oh' in understanding. That made sense. I nodded in agreement, watching Violet Star stand up and move back over to his spot in the clearing.

"So, let's try again. Don't think about to much. Even as I explain it, think about your body's change. While listening to me… think about how…"

I took his advice. As he began to drone on about the fundamentals of shapeshifting, and moving thoughts to the back of your mind, I began to see it.

I could see me. I was running through a field, but I wasn't fast enough. I needed to be stronger, faster, smarter, with the eyes of a hawk.

I wasn't picturing a Siberian Husky anymore. I was just picturing me, in a second form. While different in appearance, a form that represented me.

I could see myself as a proud beast.

A wolf.

And suddenly, I felt my knees give out. I could feel my bones pop and snap, rearranging themselves. I began to hear things I couldn't before, and smell things that I couldn't before. I fell over onto my hands, breathing heavily as my body began to settle.

I heard my father stop talking, watching me shift through my first transformation.

Silently, I opened my eyes, and weakly stood up.

When I looked down, I felt as if I was on my hands and knees. But I wasn't. I didn't see hands, only paws. I looked over at my side, and saw a pair of back legs, and felt a swishing tail. My ears twitched as I heard a bird land on a branch, and the snapping of a twig.

I looked up at my father, who was now towering over me, even more so than before. He smiled.

"Congratulations Velvet. You have achieved Shapeshifting. This is your primary second form, the form that represents your very being, your very soul. The grey wolf."

I looked over to the pond, unsteadily walking over to the water's edge to gaze at my reflection.

I no longer saw a human. I saw a wolf. Grey in color, with a gentle blue hue and emerald eyes. I had a long snout and large, canine teeth, perfect for ripping meat right off bones. I felt like smiling, but I no longer had the muscles to do so. But, to my embarrassment, my tail began to wag.

Violet Star chuckled at my excitement, shifting back into the form of a canine. He changed into the same kind of wolf, walking over to my side once transformed.

"Odd at first, isn't it?"

I flinched at the sound of his voice. It almost seemed as if he was speaking telepathically, for his mouth didn't move.

"How… how are you speaking to me?" I asked, turning my front to face him.

He blinked, "Shapeshifters can connect to others while in other forms. We can speak to each other without needing to make any sound. This is something that only shapeshifters do, however. We can't speak with other animals, for they have a sense of communication unique to themselves. Even if we take their forms, we don't have understanding in how they act amongst each other. In a way, we speak telepathically."

I nodded, looking back down at my reflection.

"So… this form can help me succeed?" I asked, sitting down on my haunches. He nodded, copying my action.

"Yes. Not many suspect a young wolf pup, or pup of any kind, to be an assassin sent for their lifes. All you need to do, if fake a hurt leg. Walk up to them on a limp, let out a few whimpers, and give the biggest begging eyes you can muster, to seal the deal. Any human with a heart, even evil, would pick you up and cradle you in their arms. Then, you strike."

I nodded, looking down at my paws. Using my other form as a way to trick others. I wasn't very good at tricks, so this was new for me.

"Now, show me."

I looked up at him in confusion, standing up.

"Show you? Show you what?" I asked. He stood up with me, walking away from the pond.

"Show me a wounded pup, searching for help from the nearest human. Just because you have the form doesn't automatically make you look pitiful. You gotta sell it. Now, show me."

I felt my hair bristle. I didn't want to look like a pathetic puppy! But then again, that was the whole point of this scheme.

I let out an internal sigh. I lifted a leg and began to walk forward. I almost immediately fell forward, but I was able to catch myself with my front legs. Once I regained my balance, I continued my walk.

"How's this?"

Violet Star narrowed his eyes, sitting down as he observed me.

"Hmm, not good enough. You're just limping, badly I might add. You need to make it seem like you're really in pain. Like your leg got caught in a wire, or you got into a fight. Here, let me show you."

He stood up, lifting up one of his front legs. He then made a squatting like position, as if so weak, he could collapse any minute. He then hobbled forward, bouncing forward with his ears dropped, and tail between his legs. His gaze was drawn upward as if looking at a human, and he let out weak whimpers.

I felt my skin crawl. He really didn't want me to do that, did he?

He looked over at me, dropping his leg and regaining his posture.

"Just like that. You need to look desperate. I know your dignity gets hurt, but it will prove your skill and tricky, and make any mission ten times as easy. Now, try again."

He did want me to do that.

I clenched my jaw in annoyance, not wanting to seem pitiful and weak on purpose. But his expecting gaze never wavered, I heaved another sigh, and tried once more.

I decided to go for my front leg this time, as if seemed harder to walk and I would be much more convincing. I put my tail between my legs and began to wobble to the best of my ability. I remembered to drop my ears, and look upwards. And to seal the deal, I whimpered.

And I felt my dignity go down the fucking drain.

I heard Violet Star give me a grunt of approval, watching my movements closely.

"Much better. Anyone with a brain would pick up a lost wolf pup that looks like that. And has a bonus, try rolling yourself around in dirt beforehand, makes you look like you've been roughed up."

I immediately ceased the embarrassing performance and turned to him, nodding my head.

"Thank you. Anything else about shapeshifting that I need to know?" I asked. He turned his head up in thought, remaining silent for a few moments. Then, he turned back to me with his eyes sparkling.

"Yes. Two things. For shifting to different forms, all you need to do is picture yourself as that canine. One thing I would advise you to do, is to study our family of animals, it helps you with identifying what kinds of canines you can turn into."

I nodded.

"And, the other thing I wish to show you, is something that gives me a thrill every time I transform…"

He stood up, shaking his fur a bit before turning towards the exit of the clearing.

"And… what's that?"

He smiled.

"Running."

And without another word, he shot forward with the power of his hind legs. I watched in shock as he sped off, leaping over the bushes and into the thick forest ahead.

I stood still for a few moments, debating on whether or not I was going to follow him. But when I heard him howl, as if calling me to run, I felt my legs go without me.

I suddenly leap forward, leaping over the stumps and bushes and racing after him.

As the forest around me rushed by, I felt adrenaline course through my veins. The blood was pumping through my legs as I raced by trees, jumped over rocks, and crashed through bushes. I could start to see my father up ahead, his head turning to glance over his shoulder.

"Keep up there squirt!"

With the taunt, he sped up. I felt the challenge rush through me, and I couldn't but grin. I picked up my pace, racing to catch up with him.

It took me only a few moments to catch up with Violet Star, seeing him get closer and closer to me. When I had made it to his side, he glanced over at me.

"Well, well. Just started and you're already as fast as me," he called, flashing his sharp fangs.

I grinned savagely, feeling energy course through me, "As fast? Try and keep up old man!"

With that, I jumped forward and raced ahead of him, ducking underneath falling trees.

"Old man? You're askin' for it kid!"

I felt a laugh bubble up as I raced forward, seeing light begin to pour in through the trees.

"First one to make it out of the woods wins!"

I called out our challenge before speeding up, running towards the light as fast as my legs could carry me. I heard my father begin to catch up to me, his steps getting louder and louder.

I felt my heart hammer against my chest, a feeling of joy rush through me.

This is...

I smiled brightly.

This is amazing!

I jumped forward and shot out of the woods, the bright sun blinding me. I skidded to a stop, feeling my paws dig into the dirt. When I came to a halt, I opened my eyes to see that I had stopped a few meters from a cliffside, the whole of the forest surrounding me.

I slowly walked over to it's edge, panting heavily as I stared out at the view.

I heard my father run up behind me, stopping a few feet behind me. I heard him walk up and sit down next to me, his tongue lodged out in a pant.

"Well… what did you think?"

I smiled, feeling a wave of happiness was over me.

"It was amazing. Unlike anything I had felt before…" I sighed, looking out over the forest. I heard him grunt in response.

"Well, I'm glad you enjoy the gift our family has been bestowed with."

We sat in silence for a few moments, looking over the grand forest as we caught our breaths. I slowly looked up at my father, watching him gaze out silently.

I frowned, looking down at my paws for a few moments.

"...Thank you… Father…"

I heard him let out some kind of squeak in confusion. I could feel his eyes on me, but I kept my eyes glued to the ground. If I were human, I would be red in the face with embarrassment.

"...You're welcome, Velvet."

"Are you sure you want… this one?"

The day after I had learned the powers of shapeshifting, I immediately went to find a mission that I would benefit from. I conveniently found one that would put my new talents to good use. A nice stroke of luck.

"Yes, I am. Please put it through, and I wish to leave immediately."

The man at the small desk slowly took the paper, reading over it silently. He pursed his lips, giving me an uncertain stare.

"You know… this has a very high level on it. You could… you know…"

"I won't. Trust me, with my abilities I will certainly return," I argued, crossing my arms.

The man sighed, nodding his head without another word. He pulled out a stamp and some ink, placing a mark on the paper before returning it to me.

"Alright, if you're certain. Your task is to go into the country of Romania and infiltrate the home of the Tihomir Noble Family. Once there, you are to kill the heir to the family, Alexandru Tihomir. Do you understand the assignment?"

I nodded, feeling excitement crawl through me.

"Yes, I do. I will make swift work of this evil-doer, and return with his blood on my hands."

"Then good luck to you."

I nodded and walked away, seeing White Star waiting for me at the bottom of the steps.

"So, finally picked a mission? What are you doing?" He asked, flanking my side as I walked away to the house.

"I'm to kill a nobleman in Romania. Should only take me a day or two."

He rose a questioning brow, as if he didn't believe me when I said it.

"Romania? That place is chock full of… you know… those Magic Users," He whispered, as if trying to keep it a secret. I rolled my eyes.

"What, Vampires? I'm not going to be brought down by a blood-sucker, nor is the nobleman in question a blood-sucker. I'm just going to walk in, kill, and walk out," I explained. White Star still looked skeptical, his eyes narrowing.

"But how do you plan on sneaking into a noble house? They probably have guards swarming the place, and you're not the best when it comes to acting. They probably won't take in a homeless girl either, if that's what you're planning."

I rolled my eyes, feeling my lip curl into a smirk.

"I won't need to sneak in. They're just gonna let me walk right in…"

White Star furrowed his brows, "How so?"

I smiled, "Because the symbol of the Tihomir Noble Family, is the grey wolf."

It was almost perfect, how well my first mission using Shapeshifting worked out for me. It was even more lucky with how I was able to find a mission to utilize this new talent of mine.

Using the magic of long-distance teleportation, via the Enchanters of the Star Clan, I arrived in Romania in less than a day. It was quite a beautiful country, having a rustic, victorian feel to it.

The Tihomir family lived in Romania's capital city of Bucharest, as a way to show off their wealth and status to their country. Finding their residence wasn't hard either. All I need to do was ask someone where they lived.

Luckily, I found someone who spoke English.

"Why are you looking for the Tihomir family young lady?" The man at the market stall asked me, handing me an apple. I had ruffed up my appearance to appear homeless and in need of food, people were more likely to give me information if I looked desperate.

Acting to the best of my ability, I looked up at the stallman with false sadness.

"I'm hoping to be in their family… my… Mama told me that we were related to them… I hope they recognize me…" I mumbled, taking a bite of the apple.

The man gave me a sad sigh, reaching over the stall to pat my head, "Well, if you are related to them, I'm sure they'll take you in. They're a stingy bunch, but they may have some heart for you. Be safe."

"Thank you si-mister…"

I walked away from the stall silently, chewing on my apple proudly. Luckily, the home of the Tihomir family wasn't too far from my location. If I kept my pace, I would be at the gate in ten minutes.

It was a bit disturbing to me, how used these people were to seeing children like me. Not many people noticed me, or gave me a second glance when they did. It was almost sad… was poverty around the world this bad?

I made it to the home of the Tihomir without any fuss, the grand golden gate towering over me. I threw my apple core off into a bush when I was a good distance away from the gate. As I thought, and as White Star said, there were two guards standing at the gate with guns on their hips. I pursed my lips, wondering if I should approach the gate head on, or try to go around.

I sighed, deciding that it would be best to wait until a member of the noble family was in sight before I approached. To make it easier to hide, I shifted into a small grey wolf pup. I did as my father recommended and rolled around in the dirt for a bit and walked through the bushes. It made me look like I had just fallen down a hill.

I sat at the edge of the bush, watching the gate silently.

I sat there for three hours, watching the guard change once, and three different guests get guided in and out. I was starting to get annoyed. Did these stupid noblemen ever leave their house?

And of course, when my patience was wearing thin, one of the noblemen came outside.

And it happened to be the one I was after.

"Young Master, are you sure you want to talk a walk today? The Master said that you should wait until your ankle heal-"

"My ankle is just fine! I only sprained it, it's not broken!"

I smiled, seeing the young nobleman hobble through the garden. Now was the time to roll the dice, and hope I win.

I stuck my tail between my legs, dropped my ears, and picked up my leg. I wiggled out of the bush and out into the open, letting out loud, high-pitched whimpers. The two guards immediately faced me with their guns, and a chill raced up my spine. But one of them gave me a look of bewilderment and lowered the barrel.

"Is that… a wolf?" He asked, strapping his gun to his side and approaching me. I looked up at him with the biggest eyes I could muster, trying to seem as helpless as I could. The guard slowly approached me, lowering himself down on one knee. He held out his hand and rubbed his fingers together, beckoning me to him.

I slowly hobbled to him, giving his fingers hesitant sniffs.

"Guard! What's going on out there!?"

Fantastic. He noticed me.

"A wolf sir! A young, grey wolf pup! Looks hurt too," He called back, the nobleman rushing up to the gate.

"A grey wolf! What luck! Bring it here!"

While I hated every second of it, the guard slowly reached out and hooked his hands underneath my stomach, lifting me up and into his arms. The guard walked back over to the gate and opened it, stepping onto the property.

The nobleman rushed up to me, gazing at me with eyes of wonder.

"Amazing, a grey wolf! You poor thing, what happened to you," he cooed, gently taking me from the guard.

"Looks like she got into a fight. Don't see any major injuries, just a scrap here and there. Must've run and managed to escape," the guard theorized, looking me over.

"Young Master Alexandru! What is that!?" Someone yelled. When Alexandru turned, I saw a plump woman running up to him, her brows furrowed with worry.

"Look Anita! A wolf pup! And a grey one at that, what luck! The symbol of our family has come to me! Maybe it's a sign of my future rein to be prosperous!"

If I could, I would've rolled my eyes.

The woman looked at me nervously, her eyes wandering from me to the young boy.

"P-Please young Master, let's at least have this animal checked for any diseases before you-"

"Nonsense! A grey wolf like this must be disease free! I'm taking her to my room and getting her fixed up!"

And with that, he spun on his heel and marched away with me hugged tightly to his chest. I felt a sense of victory wash over me before I had even made the kill. Hopefully, no one would be in his room, I could make this kill in the next five minutes.

When he went into the large, grand manor, I couldn't help but gaze at the exquisite interior of the building. There were people in the world living like this? My Chieftain was seen as a God to my Clan, and not even he had a home this grand. If this was a nobleman, what did a ruler live like?

"Like it sweetie? This is your new home!" Alexandru suddenly chirped, snuggling his face into my back.

I felt like reverting back and killing him right then and there. Rubbing his face all over me like I was some kind of doll!

He walked up a set of large, golden stairs, skipping through the maze of halls before reaching a large set of gold and red doors.

When he entered, he closed the door behind him and walked over to his bed. With great care, he set me down on its surface.

"Just a moment, I'm gonna go wet a rag and get all that dirt off you," he mused, skipping off into the small bathroom connected to the room.

I took the chance to look around, not really as a way to admire, but as to find a means of escape once the job was done. There were many windows in this place, but I wasn't too eager to jump from one of them. While we had only gone up one flight, the rooms in this place had such high ceilings, it might be like jumping from a fourth story room.

It wondered if I could just slip out the door, but without knowledge of how this building was structured, I could easily get lost, and being a wolf, I might be blamed for the death.

But then my eyes fell onto a small vent located in the corner. While shapeshifted, I could fit through it like a glove.

Perfect.

I heard the door open, and the boy walks out with a cloth. He walked back over to the bed and sat down next to me, gently lifting me up into his lap.

"Now, let's get that dirt off you."

He laid the cloth over my head and began to gently wipe the dirt from my fur. While I did hate being treated so daintily, I couldn't lie to myself and say it didn't feel nice.

While he was cleaning me off, he began to speak.

"I'm so happy that you've come to me. To think, our family symbol has come to grant me good luck! I think I'll call you, Luck!"

What a stupid name.

"I'm so glad your here Luck, we're gonna be best friends!" He smiled, lifting me up and hugging me to his chest.

I made sure the door was closed.

I buried myself into his chest, acting as if I was trying to hug him back. I lifted my two front paws and placed them on either side of his chest.

"Aw, are you giving me a hug?" He cooed, squeezing me tighter.

I laid my ears back. I dug my claws into his chest to make sure I had a grip. I stretched myself out, and made sure I had a clear shot at his neck.

And before he could say any more, I suddenly shifted back into a human.

I slammed my hand over his mouth and spun around to his back, pulling out my knife and slamming it into his neck.

He made a choked noise of pain as blood spewed from his neck, his body twitching horribly before he fell forward.

I pulled my knife from his neck and watched his body fall limply to the ground before pooling blood.

I slipped off the bed, watching the pool of blood grow larger and larger.

I smiled, and lower my head.

"In the name of the Stars, this evil has been vanquished."

I sheathed my knife and lowered my hands into the pool of blood. I gently wiped it over my arms and cheeks.

I smiled, shifting back into a small wolf and making a break for the vent.

And now, there's nothing stopping me from succeeding.

Hey, it's on time!

So Velvet now knows how to Shapeshift, curtosy of her daddo. This is the only moment in the story were Velvet is on good terms with one of her parents. Cuz they aint gonna last much longer...

So, Shapeshifting is basically just like a weapon turning into, well... a weapon, as all they need to do is picture themselves as the animal in question. Velvet is successful, and uses it on a mission not even a day after.

The family that Velvet goes after isn't important, but it does give us some insight on how missions are carried out. And after they make their kill, they say that little prayer thing. Not much I have to say on this one, but next chapter is gonna have some heavy turning points for Velvet.

I did love writing the bit where Velvet appreciates her dad, and where she's truly happy running through the wood as a wolf. One of the only times we'll see her happy until the future.

But anyway, that's all for now! A Star's Revelation is updated every Saturday at Tokyo time (+9)!

NEXT TIME:

Two years pass, and Velvet is one of, if not the, most successful assassin in the Star Clan. Due to this success, she's offered to oversea a series of missions by Blue Star. She's responsible for determining how they did, and punishments if they fail. But, when a certain pair of people fail a serious mission, Velvet is left with a heavy desicion. Who are these people, and what will Velvet have done to them?

Find Out Next Time: March 30th!

~HUGS ALL AROUND~

For updates, follow me on Twitter: Tiramina-Fan-Works