Chapter 8 The Hunt
The Hunt
Julian noticed his momentary freeze as the memory of Legion’s animal form came home to him.
Ryder blinked and shook his head as if to clear it.
He would not allow Legion–or even the memory of them–to distract from Julian’s triumph.
Yes, he might have helped a little in that arena, but sometimes one had to give a little push.
Besides, now that Julian knew he could shift, the next time he’d do it himself easily.
Plus, Julian had several forms to choose from. So there would be plenty of firsts.
The memory of Legion though clung to him, but he forced himself to let out a laugh and went over to the Winter Wolf.
Ryder slowly extended a hand. Julian lowered his head.
Ryder scratched between his ears and Julian’s eyes closed.
His tongue also lolled out and there might have been some serious tail wagging going on.
“We normally don’t allow people to pet us in our animal forms no matter how fluffy and adorable they may be. Respect and all,” Ryder explained. Julian let out a low moan. “But, then again, I won’t tell if you won’t.”
Ryder petted Julian thoroughly from head to tail and thumped his powerful sides as one might do to a great, big dog. Julian was a Winter Wolf, but he was a puppy, too.
Julian’s eyes opened and he jumped to his feet–well, to his paws–as if ready to play.
And he probably was. Ryder remembered the first time he had shifted into an animal form.
It had been a lion just like Lawson, which was probably because he thought he had to shift into a lion.
But it was incredible. When he was in his humanoid form, he was strong and fast and graceful, but in his animal forms? He blew that out of the water.
Julian was staring down at his front paws, lifting one then the other.
He then stuck his head between his front legs to see his back ones and his tail.
He promptly did an unintentional somersault.
He was quickly up and looking around ashamedly to make sure no one but Ryder had seen.
Ryder’s quick laugh had Julian turning those big purple eyes on him. Ryder booped his nose.
“It’s all right, Julian. You need to test your limits. Can’t do that if you take things easy and only do what’s safe,” Ryder counseled him. “Better to make a fool of oneself and know then to remain stiff and sober and never achieve greatness.”
Julian’s tail thumped rapidly. He was on Team Foolish Things, which Ryder could really get behind.
“Okay, I’m going to shift, too, and then why don’t we go hunting?”
More tail thumping.
Oh! I can still speak to you through my mind! Julian laughed. Two powers at once. I’m so glad it works. Your plan sounds great, by the way.
“Fantastic. Normally, we would communicate through body language and pheromones. But I have to admit that telepathy works much better,” Ryder told him.
It would be handy between Grayson and I. Maybe he should seek out an Eyros Master, Ryder thought.
An Eyros? But I thought that you wanted to turn Grayson! Julian’s ears were pricked. Then they lowered. Oh, man, I listened to a thought I shouldn’t have. Your face says it all, even if I couldn’t hear your thoughts.
“You’re fine, Julian,” Ryder answered with another pat of Julian’s fuzzy head.
“I do want to be the one to turn Grayson. Very much. But it might not be the most advantageous combination now that it’s clear he will keep the Ashyr gift and gain the gift of whoever turns him. Balthazar has shown us that.”
But you… you love one another, Julian responded hesitantly, tail sweeping once as he cocked his head at Ryder.
“Grayson is our General,” Ryder said, trying to believe the words he was saying, “and it’s only sensible that he make the most strategic match in terms of Master and gift. Our love won’t be affected either way.”
Julian’s ears flickered. It might have been that he heard some noise off in the distance, but Ryder believed it was because he didn’t agree with this plan at all.
“You asked to be turned to save Christian,” Ryder said gently. “You, of all people, understand duty to others.”
Yes, I do, but Daemon and I were fated for one another. We were made for one another. If he and I were already together, I couldn’t imagine being turned by anyone else, Julian admitted.
“You’re comparing your destined relationship with Daemon to Grayson’s and mine?” Ryder was touched.
Don’t you? Those puppy eyes were turned on him.
“Y-yes, I do, but…” Ryder swallowed. “Let me shift here and we can hunt and–and talk some more if you like.”
I like talking to you, Ryder, Julian assured him. I don’t want to upset you. We can speak of other things.
“It’s sort of nice to say out loud what I’m having to tell myself inside.” Ryder shrugged. “But let me join you.”
Ryder closed his eyes. The ghostly forms of all his animals appeared before him as if on a carousel.
Which one would he become? He had never become a Winter Wolf himself.
But he saw that it was an option. He hesitated.
He knew that if he kept spinning the carousel that he would see the form that Legion shifted into.
He would know that form. He would remember.
But he stopped himself. Not now. When he was alone. Then he would do it. If he lashed out as Weryn because of it, he would not have Julian anywhere nearby. Shaking off that He reached for the Winter Wolf form and shifted into it for the first time.
Whoa! You’re bigger than me! Julian laughed.
Ryder’s eyes opened. He wasn’t that much nearer the ground than he had been in his humanoid form. He looked down at his front paws. He had a pure black coat. He shook himself and felt the heavy ruff around his neck move.
I thought we should Winter Wolves together, Ryder explained.
Julian danced around his form like the eager pup he was.
Ryder let out a huff of laughter that was translated into a chuff by his Winter Wolf form.
He remembered how proud he was to tell Lawson that he had shifted into a bear.
Now, he had every animal from Earth or the Ever Dark–and perhaps other places too–at his disposal.
Unlike Julian who had struggled to shift into one form, Ryder realized that now there was no effort in it. His bones, flesh and organs moved like liquid filling a different-shaped vessel. He was liquid. His form was whatever he wanted it to be. He was both proud of this and a little sad.
For though he could share his delight with Demos or Siban, they would think it wonderful, but it would be expected.
He was Weryn. Grayson would be pleased for him, but he, too, wouldn’t give Ryder the pat on the head that a Master would have.
Someone proud of what he could do. Proud of what he could be.
Not that Lawson had ever been so effusive, and in the end, he had been so jealous that Ryder had mostly dreaded telling him.
He thought of Balthazar’s joy at being able to use the Kaly gift.
For Caemorn, such an act would be simplistic and hardly notable, but he had given Balthazar his due and solemn praise.
And Balthazar had basked–and preened–in the light and warmth of his Master’s regard.
Of Kaly’s regard. Which would have been impossible for him to imagine in the past, but it was a real thing that had actually happened just the other night.
Regardless of who Grayson chose as his Master or Mistress, Ryder would share this with them.
While Grayson likely didn’t need to be told “good job” and praised at all, it might be nice for him to hear it every once in a while.
Grayson expected perfection of himself at all times.
He would likely master his second gift easily.
But still. Grayson deserved to be acknowledged, for his hard work and discipline to be praised.
Is it weird that I want to sniff your butt? Yeah, yeah, definitely weird, Julian said as he pulled back from doing just that.
Another chuff left Ryder. It will let us know each other’s scents, which is a good idea in the forest.
Julian’s wolf lifted an eyebrow. So butt-sniffing?
Butt-sniffing.
And they did, indeed, take a whiff of one another’s nether regions. Julian was a mixture of dusky and sweet. Unlike as a human, the scent was pleasing rather than not.
Okay, okay, I’ve got your scent down. Would recognize you in a completely dark room, Julian told him as he shook his head as if to clear it.
Same here. Now, which direction shall we go in? Where is our prey, Julian? Ryder asked.
Uhm… Julian padded in a slow circle, looking in vain for any sign of something to hunt.
Ryder chuff-laughed again. Scent, Julian! Use your nose again. Lift it into the air and smell some quarry for us.
Julian lifted his snout into the air, rising on his back legs. Ryder knew the moment that he had found the scent as Julian began to turn rather like a circus dog.
There! There! In that direction! Julian cried as he plopped down on all four paws.
Let’s stalk it, Ryder suggested.
Julian did not need to be told twice. The white Winter Wolf flowed into the surrounding forest utterly silently on fleet paws.
There was stirring in a nearby tree, however, as a large bird lifted off.
Ryder lost track of it. Likely, it was nothing.
Still, he stayed close to Julian. The young man’s head was low to the ground as if to hide as they loped between the massive trees.
Only occasionally would the young man lift his head to catch the scent.
Ryder knew what they were tracking. He hadn’t been exaggerating when he’d told Balthazar that he truly could tell most people apart by scent.
He could tell general classes of animals apart too.
From the slightly ophidian odor mixed with swamp rot, it was an Umbraling.
Part reptile, part predator bird with razor sharp teeth and claws, standing seven feet tall with a long tail studded with poison spikes.