História Shifter Academy - Griff is my new best friend

Chapter 12

I got tired of running, so I stopped by a tree, and sat under its shadow.  Closing my eyes, I stood like that for a long time. It was good to have all my plans settled. A brief but much needed calm settled over me. I felt someone sitting beside me, so opened my eyes to see who it was. Mace was looking at me worried, and his lion was looking expectantly as well. I closed my eyes and laid my head against the tree again. “I heard about what happened with your dad. I am sorry to hear that.” He said. His world were almost a whisper.

As I opened my eyes I took my time to respond him. “Yeah, it is not pleasant to find out you dad just died.. But I guess I will get over it. I have to.” I was better, knowing that I was going to change my dad’s murders fate.

He looked at Griff, who stared back at him, having their silent talk. Griff nodded and Mace sighed.

“You know, my dad was also killed by the pack, when I was ten years old. He was hunted by the wolves because they were scared of him, and the pack didn´t like to be scared. One night they got him unprepared, and it was thirty two against one. He didn’t stood a chance.” He told me with longing eyes.

His confession took me by surprise. “I am sorry about that. I really hate them. They are nothing more than a bunch of dogs thinking they are the top of the food chain. I hope they all die slowly and painfully.” I recovered from my psycho outburst and took a deep breath. “What was your dad’s spirit?”

He stared at me for a long time before answering. I could really loose the line of my thoughts with him this close to me, and those striking eyes staring into mine. “He was a Tasmanian devil.” A brief pause, and then “But he was also a bear.” He stopped and waited for the information to sink in.

“Wait. That is not possible. No one can have two animal spirits. How can that be?” I could not believe what he was telling me.

“The bear was his main spirit. The one that reflected his soul. He couldn’t  transform into his secondary, the Tasmanian devil. This is a rare condition but it can happen, from time to time.” He started petting Griff, who sat beside him.   “Disturbs in the main course of the transition can do that.” he thought for a moment trying to put his thoughts together in a way that made sense.

“The transition is a test inside your mind. Don’t ask me about the specifics, because that is a mystery for everyone, but what I know it’s that this test defines what kind of animal you are. But sometimes, the selection is disturbed. As an example, If you make the same kind of decisions over and over, and all of the sudden you decide to change, it means your head its more enigmatic then the test can understand. But the thing is, you cannot change what you are doing there. It’s like a dream. You do it, but you are not responsible for your actions. The decisions you make there are all based on your subconscious. Then the test won’t know what to decide for you, and you can match with two animals. Maybe even three.  Centuries ago, there was a duke who had a horse, a monkey and a hummingbird as spirit animals. But that did not happen again. not that I know of.

I just didn’t know what to say. Actually, I didn’t know if I quite believed it, but when I looked at him, I could see the truth in his eyes. I knew he wasn’t lying to me. That was just unbelievable. I guess dad never thought about mentioning a mutant and powerful shifter. The thought of him made me shiver. And as if sensing the pain I was feeling, Mace came closer and embraced me. Griff laid beside us. We stood like that for a moment. I lost my sense of time, as I was on my own protected world between his arms.

Finally we ended the contact, and some distance between us was established reluctantly, like it was uncomfortable to be away from each other. I wiped a tear away.

“You know, I will get revenge. For you and me. They deserve to die. This will not stay like this. You have my word.” I told him, and from the look on his face he could see that I believed what I was saying.

“Kayla, when that happened to my dad, I used to think the same thing. I went hunting for them. And as I killed one by one, I could not see pleasure from it. The pain of my loneliness could not be ceased, didn’t matter how much I tried. It’s just not worth it, and I know your dad wouldn’t want that for you.”

“It´s not just for revenge Mace. I don’t want people like that walking free. They with just keep hurting everyone they see fit, and that will not happen again as long as I’m concerned. This is bigger than us, and there is nothing that can change my mind once it is made up.”

He kept watching me. I could see a sign of admiration in his eyes. And as the time passed by and he didn’t move his gaze from me, I could feel myself unease. Just his stare made me feel like we were having the most intimate moment.

“Please, don’t do anything stupid Kayla. You could get seriously hurt, and from that, many people would get hurt as well.” Griff switched his position, like he was uncomfortable, and then I noticed how close Mace and I were standing. I abruptly stood up, and cleaned my shorts and legs from the leaves on the floor. Mace stood up as well.

“It´s fine. Really. I will be ok. I will just have to train harder than before. I still have two months remember?  Maybe even more. When the time comes, I will be ready.”

“And then what? You will just go out by yourself on a suicidal mission to see how many you can kill before you die? That’s just crazy and completely stupid. ” His voice was getting higher and I knew he was getting mad.

“Hey. It´s ok. I will be alright. Don´t worry about me.”

“Don´t worry about you? Of course I worry. You are my student after all, and I cannot let anyone get killed like that.” I was a little disappointed to know this was the only reason he was worried about me, but I let that feeling for another time. “And what makes you think I won’t tell your mom about this? She would never let you do something like that.” His voice was cold, and the moment we just had seemed to be too far away now.

A prick of panic hit me. I didn´t thought about the possibility of him turning me in. How could I be that stupid? “Mace, please, you cannot tell her anything. She wouldn´t understand. I have to do this. You know I do. You found out by yourself that it was not what you wanted, and I will have to find that out on my own also. Please, what would you feel if someone had stopped you from going after them right away when your dad was murdered?”

He looked at me for a long time. He turned to Griff, and listened to him. “She is not ready and you know it.” After a pause of what I thought it was the lion talking, Mace finally nodded. It was so weird to have them arguing about me like that. I wanted to intervene but I was almost sure that Griff was on my side this time.

After a long pause, Mace smiled at the lion and looked back at me. “I won’t tell her. But that doesn’t mean I’m ok with this. I will teach you how to kill them, just so you won’t be unprepared. But you should know that I am just doing this because Griff convinced me to.” I couldn’t be more surprised if I tried. I looked at him and then at the lion. A smiled sincerely and fought the urge to jump in his arms and hug him again.

“Thank you so much. You won’t regret this. I promise you.” I said happily and He sighed.

“I already do.”

 I looked at Griff and dropped to my knees so we would be on the same eye level. Before they could protest I hugged him as well.

“Thank you Griff. I own you a lot. You are the best.” The lion hugged me back with his head, and when it was over, with a little pet on his head I stood up, with my attention back to Mace. He looked at both of us, with shock all over his face, like I had just took of my clothes and started dancing tango.

“What?” I asked.

“Hum, you are like, the first person Griff had ever allowed touching him beside me. You must be really special.” He told me, happily.

“Well, maybe we just understand each other, right?” I said, looking back at Griff. He came to me and rubbed me, like a little kitty does when he wants some attention. Mace started laughing loud from nowhere. I looked at him as if asking what was so funny.

“He apparently wants me to be his personal translator to you.  And he wants me to tell you that he likes you, and that he will make this douche bag, who I guess it’s me, to cooperate with you.”

“Awn.” I scratched behind his ear, and he started making a noise that I guessed it meant he was liking it. “I think we will get along just fine.