Fledgling (32 page)

Chance’s wings rippled in the wind dangerously, threatening to thrust him downward. He had never been hurt in animal form and didn’t know how to handle a flying shape while injured. He felt weakened. He would have winced if he could, his leg stinging in pain, unable to tell how bad the wound was. He knew his claw sank into the flesh of his assailant’s chest, and hoped he had done damage.

A memory visited him-his grandfather telling him how the Thunderbird could direct lightning. He skimmed through the air careful his rival was not near and pulled in the electricity, making his pores throb. He felt it collecting, arching between the ground and clouds.

His beak tickled, when a bright burst of light blinded him. At first he thought he was successful. Then his body fell through the gloom. He hadn’t been quick enough. Markus used his own plan against him. Electricity ravaged him. Everything hurt. He struggled to glide downward, but his body bent in pain. Spiraling in a wide circle, his wings did their best to guide him to the earth.

He tried to level out, reaching his legs ahead of himself, bracing for his landing. Nearby, Ana lay still, drawing Chance’s attention. As his feet hit the ground his gashed leg collapsed and he tumbled into a feathery heap. Unable to move, his body could not follow directions; it was busy short circuiting. Dirt and needles settled around him and he drew his hobbling body upright. The pain was unreal. Bursts of flame seared his muscles and joints.

As he lay in the dust cloud, fear bled through him.
How’s Markus so powerful?
Chance’s energy was half depleted from taking Thunderbird and that was with the benefit of using the electricity in the air to aid him… his thoughts scrambled wildly.
How can Markus take Thunderbird form?
He said he’s only had abilities for six months… that’s impossible! How can this be?

Pulling himself up, he faltered and crumbled back into his dirty resting place.

He knew what he needed to do.

The gigantic circling bird above screamed above in exultation. Then its sharp eyes located an immense chocolate brown bristling form on the ground near the girl’s sprawled body. Markus dove through the air swooping in to hit Chance’s new formidable embodiment.

Erect and now, pain free after taking grizzly bear form, his energy reserve was sapped, but it was worth it. He towered over nine feet standing on his hind legs and watched the oncoming Thunderbird, readying his long razor claws.

The bird grew near with its legs extended, aiming for the grizzly’s chest. In one sweeping motion, Chance cleaved his arm downward as though chopping wood and razed a deep gash across the bird’s legs, sending the creature crashing into the dark trees. Branch tips swayed violently from the impact, dropping green immature pinecones to the ground like grenades.

A large cloud of dust and pine needles lifted, and Chance turned his upright body to survey the scene. While the dust settled, another tall form materialized through the disturbed air.

A black bear emerged and roared, silencing the forest creatures and lifted onto its hind legs. White teeth glinted beneath its lips which curled back in a menacing reproach.

Chance was larger than the black bear standing before him, but guessed Markus had an ample power supply, capable of many animal forms. He was fighting a boy who should be weaker and less experienced than he was. Now the pride he had before discovering his adversary was crumbling.

He strained his attention, listening for Ana’s heartbeat. A soft sputtering rhythm came from her direction. It was fading and sounded sloshy, like a bucket filled too high. Time bore down on him; he had to stop this madness quickly to get her help.

A loud grumbling roar snapped him back, fearing he was at a disadvantage.

He moved to the safety of the pines, leaving a tree trunk as a barrier. Markus moved forward and Chance wove from side to side keeping his shield between them.

The odd dance continued until Markus swiped around the tree hitting Chance on the arm. Chance was bigger, but he was also slower. He felt the sting, and knew it left a mark. He needed to hurt Markus enough to force him to take another shape. He would have to attack relentlessly until Markus stopped phasing, and end his life swiftly.

Chance dodged from behind the tree and struck out at the smaller bear, but his body moved sluggishly and missed, cutting through the air. The black bear beat him to it and a burning pain seared his chest. The bear’s paw impaled in Chance’s sternum. The agony was more than just claws sinking into him; they were radiating poison. A pea green glow stained his fur at the point of contact. His energy was leaching away, like a bike tire deflating.

With a sudden explosion of power, Chance’s grizzly form retracted from Markus’s grasp and staggered back onto all fours. The quaking exhalation that sputtered from the grizzly’s lips brought a macabre smirk to the black bear’s maw.

A burst of tan fur shivered across the grizzly’s form; it sank down into a screeching mountain lion, crouched on the forest floor.

The black bear stumbled backwards surprised, and ducked down with its paws ready for a low attack.

Power built in Chance’s front and hind legs, his body was free of pain and ready to inflict it. His lean form shot forward, ears pulled back. Powerful jaws and claws reached for flesh. They found purchase on the bear’s arms, rupturing the onyx carpet of fur, staining it red.

Markus fell forward trying to tackle the large cat. The cougar backed up as the bear crashed towards it.

Chance jumped up, clinging to a tree trunk and began scaling a pine. It began to sway as the bear shook the base, trying to rattle him free.

Markus stopped and took another approach, reaching out to climb the neighboring pine.

Chance ascended high up the trunk, stopping before it could arch with his weight, and watched in amazement as Markus’s stocky black form clawed up the tree beside him. As the furry form paralleled his, he lashed out-his paw pummeling the bear. Claws met flesh again and Markus let out a roar in pain.

While they fought, their respective trees swayed fitfully. Markus knocked Chance’s head with a heavy blow, causing him to slip four feet down the trunk. Bark rained down, joining the needles on the forest floor.

In a quick decision, Chance leapt up and across to cling from the black bear’s legs. His jaws and claws sank into the black fur, as blood oozed down his muzzle.

Markus, unable to hold on any longer, dropped them both to the earth. Claws raked down the trunk, and bits of tree bark tapped onto the ground.

The bear’s heavy body crushed Chance when they impacted. Then the bear rolled off and to the side. It lay there unmoving.

The background noise of Ana’s soft, stammering heartbeats changed, becoming feeble.

The mountain lion grumbled, looked reproachfully over its shoulder as it slunk out of the forest, limping. It neared Ana’s lifeless body and nestled its bloody muzzle into her chest, checking for a heartbeat.

“Chance,” A whisper broke from her lips, and then a spasm of pain ripped through her and she drooped going limp.

He lifted a paw to touch her chest and sensing movement, spontaneously turned and leapt through the air, colliding with another cougar. They fell into the dirt and sprang to their feet, backing away like repelling magnets.

Low rumbling growls twisted and tangled together. Their ears laid flat against their heads, their haunches dropped to the ground, ready to launch.

Markus sprang first, his claw reaching out and sinking into Chance’s neck. The force knocked him to the side, his head ringing from the blow.

Markus sauntered toward Ana; Chance snapped out of his daze and stretched out clawing his opponent’s rear. Markus feigned to the side, avoiding injury and swiped him across the face, crippling his left eye.

Chance stood tall, and swayed for a moment as vertigo hit. With only one eye he tilted his head to the side to see. The mountain lion watched him wobble and pulled his lips back into a sneer.

Chance knew he had to make this count. His energy was waning and he wouldn’t have more than one or two shifts left. A fox wouldn’t be able to incapacitate a cougar. This was his last powerful form.

He crouched waiting to see what Markus would do next.

The rival cat tilted its head back to look at Ana, Chance followed his gaze. Without hesitation, Markus leapt onto Chance sinking his teeth in his neck. Chance used the last of his strength pulling his claws back, sinking them into Markus’s face. He felt the teeth release their clamping hold as his body dropped to the ground.

Chance’s blood was leaving his body. The electric blue energy within him wanted to find a more powerful shape. To save energy, he utilized the static power from the air to phase form yet again.

He jumped to his feet, defeated. A red fox now sat at the foot of the mountain lion.

Chance’s attention was drawn behind the cougar, his eyes widening. Markus, thinking it was a rouse, identical to the one he had pulled, kept his eyes on the red furry body in front of him.

An elderly man stood at the edge of the forest. His familiar face brought Chance relief, and then fear sank in. He didn’t want his grandfather injured trying to save him.

While Chance frantically thought about what to do next, he watched in wide-eyed wonder as Niyol’s clothing dropped to the ground.

There, among the fabric, a large wolverine emerged.

Like a rocket it dove under the unsuspecting cougar, clawing and tearing at its stomach. A wet ripping sound alerted Markus as he jumped straight up. The wolverine clung fast while being lifted through the air, and getting dropped again.

Chance’s body jumped to action, using his teeth to bite the cougar, although his mind was stunned. Niyol’s dark body came out from underneath the cougar and began clawing the cougar’s eyes.

The mountain lion tried to back into the forest but Chance positioned himself around his backside. The cat gave one last cry before shifting into something smaller.

A fawn bobcat with pointed ears crouched between Niyol and Chance. No one moved.

The bobcat mewed, and then the wolverine pelted the cat with successive blows, rendering it blind. The fox and his partner continued their relentless attack until it shivered and shrank into a prairie dog.

The slightest movement drew Chance’s attention to Ana. A raspy shuddering breath caught in her throat, then released with a slow hiss. And silence. She lay still.

Chance listened closely, unable to detect a heartbeat.

No.

Chance glanced over and saw his grandfather with the prairie dog in his mouth. He immediately came back to his human form and blazed to Ana’s side.

The clouds condensed and a loud clap shook the earth with a bright flash striking in unison. The air thickened and mist descended the mountains. The forest grew quiet and still as though it were holding its breath, regarding the drama in the clearing.

“No! Ana! Stay with me! Don’t die, you
can’t
die!” Chance gripped at her shirt pulling her up in desperation. Her body hung lifeless from his hands.

A dark expression crossed his face. He set her on the ground and closed his eyes, reaching out his hands to her chest.

His power was now minimal; to pull his sluggish energy back to center was like a tug of war. Static in the air raised the hairs on his arms and it melted into his skin, absorbing as much as possible. He flexed the growing sphere of power within. Frustration built as he tried manipulating his sticky life force. It dragged down his arms into his waiting hands.

He glanced over to his grandfather, who was preoccupied with batting the prairie dog with his claws, suddenly noticed his grandson wasn’t with him any longer. Niyol pressed his foot into the small animal and after giving a shudder, it disappeared.

The wolverine paused with its foot in the air as it gazed at Chance and Ana. In a smooth transition, the wild animal turned into an elderly man.

At that precise moment Chance initiated the connection between himself and Ana. Energy pulled through his hands and into her with such force his head dropped back, his life ebbing. Like water sucking down a swirling maelstrom, he found himself getting sucked in, unable to brace against the force.

“NO! Chance, wait!” Niyol ran to his grandson with his arms outstretched.

Chance was oblivious of his surroundings, and couldn’t hear his grandfather calling. His thoughts were only for Ana-to protect her, heal her. He couldn’t lose her and didn’t want to live in a world without her. And if necessary he would settle for her living without him.

The last essence of life leaving his body made him smile as he sensed her stirring heart below his hands. A sapphire glow emanated from her chest, radiating from his hands.

With his last breath he whispered, “For always…my love.”

His body slumped over Ana’s with a victorious grin across his lips.

Chapter 39.

Soaring among billowing clouds, Ana glided above an expansive landscape. Sun tipped grasses waved, as air currents massaged their stalks. Tall evergreens stretched to reach her heights, but looked like plastic toys from her altitude. A breeze rippled her hair and caressed her cheeks. Then it turned more violent. Something was striking her on the face. Nothing slowed the unpleasant poking. She flinched as wet beads slapped her cool face, wrenching her from the dream.