Chapter 6- Inheritance and Monkey Boys
My computer broke down for like three days and it was bad. Anyways, I'm not the most punctual writer out there so excuse my lateness. And I'm disappointed, only Skatzaa and gigglesandbooks reviewed for the last chapter. Thanks Skatzaa and gigglesandbooks! Oh and I love cookies. Who doesn't? R&R?
Max
Jeb was determined to teach me to fight, to hunt, to survive in every way. Mom was still in pain, I could tell, because she never really left her feathers. It's easier for us to block out our emotions when we're in our animal form. It lets us revert to our natural wild instincts instead of thinking too much. I'm afraid if Mom goes on like this too long, she'll forget all about Angel and me. I've heard stories where shifters pull themselves away from their clans and live alone and forget how to become human again.
Mom wasn't the only one growing weaker. I could tell Jeb was too, the color of his skin paling every day. Cardinals were distinguished by blue markings around their forehead, proof of their nobility.
Angel was recovering. She was closer to Mom than she was to Dad, it doesn't mean she had no love for Dad, but she was faster than all of us to get over his death. It's good for her, Angel was only six, and she shouldn't have to live with the burden of this.
One day about two or three weeks after Jeb joined us; he interrupted my archery lessons and confirmed my suspicions. He was sick, very sick. He was born a leader and now his people were gone. Some part of his mind began to shut down. But before he left the world, he needed an heir. So he decided to choose me.
"What?" I exclaimed as soon as he said it. It wasn't the wittiest thing I could've said but how was I supposed to react to being the next Cardinal? I think it's only natural that I was jolted by the news.
"Max, you're the only one that I can trust," he insisted a bit wearily.
"But I'm not even you're blood, it wouldn't work!" I protested.
He chuckles, "You really don't know how this works do you? The power is passed on through an ancient incantation."
"But-"
"Listen, I don't have much time. I can feel it."
"Fine," I finally relent.
He taught me the words and we chanted in unison. It felt ridiculous. He presses his forefingers to his forehead and then to mine. I felt a strange energy fill me. I suddenly could see every muscle in me and each responded to my command. I could feel the breath in my lungs, my hearing sharpened. Knowledge flooded my being as well as a sense of inferiority. A swirl of old and waves of new collided within me. I opened my eyes and walked to see my reflection in the river. Sure enough, above my eyebrows was a bright blue ring of markings that seemed to pulse with energy that was evidence that I was now the new Cardinal.
Jeb stood behind me, a hand on my shoulder and in a startlingly croaking voice said, "I am proud of you." And then, he collapsed.
"What's wrong?" I asked, panic rising up inside of me.
"I gave all my energy to you so you may continue the line," his breaths came shallow and fast, his chest heaved and his body trembled.
"Mother! Come quickly!"
She raced to me and Jeb, "He's dying, Mom!"
Mom placed a hand on my shoulder like Jeb had done scarcely seconds before, "Let him go."
Fang
"Did you hear that?" Iggy asks, putting up a finger to shush me. I stay still and listen, "We're being followed. We have been followed for a while."
There was a rustling sound in the trees around us. Something burst from a nearby bush and then rushed back into the leaves.
"Who's there?" I demanded.
Iggy shot a net up to the trees and something tumbled down. It scrambled and clawed at the net. Then it stopped moving and seemed to change. It was a shifter. His blond hair and mischievous blue eyes glared up at us in anger.
He bared his teeth, "Who are you people?"
"Who are you first?" Iggy asks.
"My name's Gazzy," he said, and then he changed, shrinking and elongating until he becomes a monkey. And then he switched back again, clearly struggling to get free of the ropes. We take the net off.
"Who are you?" he growls.
"I'm Iggy," he points to himself and then to me, "And that's Fang."
"You're human," he sniffs in disdain.
"Yes," I snarl, "Problem?"
"Hey, stop it you two," Iggy steps between us, putting his hands up, "We need your help, Gazzy."
I look at him in confusion. Gazzy studies Iggy, "How?"
"Where are you from, shifter?"
"Canopy Hills," he replies, "Why?"
"Do you know where the hawks live?" Iggy asks.
"Yes, by the Human Capitol, Blueburn Village."
"We need to find a hawk," Iggy asks.
"What's the hawk's name?"
"Don't know," I tell him.
"Then don't ask me," Gazzy turns to leave.
"Wait, how are you at tracking hawks?" Iggy asks, fatigue on his face.
"Why? It's not like I eat them," Gazzy sneers.
"We need to find her," I finally say.
Gazzy studies us, judging with his eyes. I realized he's very young, maybe less than Nudge's age. His youthful features showed in the curve of his cheeks and dimples as he smirked. His big blue eyes were innocent but hardened slightly. Of course, he's probably the only one he knows left. Another survivor, the shifter girl will be happy.
"Fine," he says after a while, "Most likely, she'll be looking for a Cardinal."
"What's that?" Iggy asks and Gazzy rolls his eyes.
"We got a lot of work to do," he says.