gotten part of the glory of killing them herself. And no longer would she listen to them tell stories, dreaming of the day she would have stories of her own to tell, for now; she was a full-grown. “I am proud of you Nathaira.” Athrysion murmured, licking her affectionately on the face “Very proud.” Nathaira’s heart swelled even more, if that was possible. “Come,” he said, “Zeythra will want to hear of your first kill.” He stepped back from her and their bodies began rippling as if they were staring at their reflections in a stream. Snow fell from their backs as the silver fur receded, muzzles drew back into their faces, ears and tails disappeared, backs straightened and lengthened, and paws stretched into hairless, slender hands, and a moment
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He tossed a set of clothing to Nathaira. “I don’t know about you daughter,” he intoned as they pulled the clothes over their naked bodies, “But no matter how much pleasure it is to be able to become any animal at will and visit the world in their body; it’s nice to be back in my own. I always feel naked with just hair covering me.” Nathaira grinned and Athrysion ruffled her coal-black hair with a rough, tattooed hand. “Let’s get this deer back to the clan before the bears smell the blood.” They knelt, and taking hold of the motionless doe’s legs; hoisted the plump animal out of the blood-soaked snow and started off into the forest with it swinging between them. “We will eat well again tonight.” Athrysion said cheerfully as they trudged through the knee-deep snow pushing snow-laden pine and fir branches out of their way as cold flakes of snow caught on their lashes and bright red-noses. “We were lucky today.” “Lucky?” Nathaira asked, turning as she walked to look back at him over the carcass of the still-bleeding deer. “How about skilled?” Athrysion …show more content…
He gasped, blood gurgling at the corners of his mouth, and grabbed her hand. “Save…..Efamar….” Athrysion wheezed, every word an effort as more and more blood bubbled out of the corners of his mouth and drained down the hair covering his cheeks and mingled with the tattoos trailing over his face like dark, red ink, “There is nothing you can do for me.” Nathaira put her other hand over his, long, hardened fingers curling over his tattooed and blood-stained ones, as tears trailed down her face and cut paths through the ash covering her cheeks in streams. “That’s not true!” She whispered, reaching for the arrow again, “We’ll get this out and Zeythra will give you a potion and you’ll be fine, you’ll see.” A pine exploded in a burst of flames and sap behind them as a sob escaped her, and she looked up sharply at the bright blaze of light and the dark figures silhouetted by it; the sound of their screams and weapons clashing wafting over the smoke-filled air to her sharp ears. Oh sisters, help
He tossed a set of clothing to Nathaira. “I don’t know about you daughter,” he intoned as they pulled the clothes over their naked bodies, “But no matter how much pleasure it is to be able to become any animal at will and visit the world in their body; it’s nice to be back in my own. I always feel naked with just hair covering me.” Nathaira grinned and Athrysion ruffled her coal-black hair with a rough, tattooed hand. “Let’s get this deer back to the clan before the bears smell the blood.” They knelt, and taking hold of the motionless doe’s legs; hoisted the plump animal out of the blood-soaked snow and started off into the forest with it swinging between them. “We will eat well again tonight.” Athrysion said cheerfully as they trudged through the knee-deep snow pushing snow-laden pine and fir branches out of their way as cold flakes of snow caught on their lashes and bright red-noses. “We were lucky today.” “Lucky?” Nathaira asked, turning as she walked to look back at him over the carcass of the still-bleeding deer. “How about skilled?” Athrysion …show more content…
He gasped, blood gurgling at the corners of his mouth, and grabbed her hand. “Save…..Efamar….” Athrysion wheezed, every word an effort as more and more blood bubbled out of the corners of his mouth and drained down the hair covering his cheeks and mingled with the tattoos trailing over his face like dark, red ink, “There is nothing you can do for me.” Nathaira put her other hand over his, long, hardened fingers curling over his tattooed and blood-stained ones, as tears trailed down her face and cut paths through the ash covering her cheeks in streams. “That’s not true!” She whispered, reaching for the arrow again, “We’ll get this out and Zeythra will give you a potion and you’ll be fine, you’ll see.” A pine exploded in a burst of flames and sap behind them as a sob escaped her, and she looked up sharply at the bright blaze of light and the dark figures silhouetted by it; the sound of their screams and weapons clashing wafting over the smoke-filled air to her sharp ears. Oh sisters, help