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In werewolf form, Markus looked down on the destroyed camp from the plateau. Night had fallen, so he had no fear of being seen. He smiled to himself. The females were most entertaining. The one called Izrah had no problem using her wolf senses. The smaller one, Tala, impressed him with her hard work.
Leotie was stubborn, but feisty and tough – the very reason he’d chosen her. She would come around in time. With enough training, they would make good companions. One of them would someday be his mate.
Markus had done what his master Gallus had said to do before he committed suicide.
Go bring some humans back to life and you won’t be lonely. You have achieved the highest form of a shifter. This means it’s your time to be a master. You don’t need me anymore.
He wished his old master hadn’t fallen in love with a female human. Her demise had pushed Gallus over the edge. One could only change a dead body into a shifter in the first few days. Gallus had been traveling and discovered her body too late.
He had to admit he was having fun observing the reactions and struggles of the new shifters. It had been a brilliant idea to experiment with them – to get to know them from a distance. Leotie was obviously desperate to be in human form again, while logically Izrah, the once feeble old woman, had already figured out she was better off a shifter. He thought back to when he had seen Leotie walking toward the battle. He’d been watching her and some of the others before that too. They were such a stubborn people, but he admired their courage.
Markus tired of going everywhere on foot and decided to shift into his electricity form. For years and years he’d tried to progress to the most advanced stage of shifting, and just when he’d learned and could travel with Gallus, his master had given up on everything. Still, Markus had to make a new life for himself or face everything turning pointless too. His form lightened as he concentrated on his cells and molded them into the particle structure of electricity. His mass faded and spun until he snapped into a bolt of lightning.
He streaked across the sky, over the trees, and dove down to his cabin set deep in the woods, well away from any settlers or Indians. In this form he could see in the pitch dark. Before he hit the ground, he shifted into spirit form and hovered above the ground. Reversing the process, his form changed, growing arms and legs. His head and face became solid, while hair grew from the top of his head.
In the dark, Markus stepped into his cabin naked. He grabbed his undergarment and red tunic, slipping into them. Then he went outside, still able to see, as his eyes were capable of night vision even in human form.
He opened the door to the small outbuilding where he had put Wayna and Jolan’s bodies. It made sense to bring the two back to life because they were Izrah’s grandsons. Plus they were friends with Leotie and Tala. This would make all of them grateful to him for saving their lives. He took Wayna’s body out of the barn and carried it into the front yard. Markus knelt down and forced his energy into the lifeless body. He concentrated on the form of a wolf, the same way he had done with the females. No other impression ever worked on a new shifter.
The young warrior began to glow and warmth spread up Markus’ arm, making him hot. Wayna’s face molded and twisted into a wolf’s face. Markus pushed his thoughts through to Wayna, sending the image of a wolf and all the details – legs, hair, muzzle, teeth and heart. He braced against the heat and forced all of his energy into Wayna. The new shifter started to move, arms shortened and hair formed. His eyes opened.
Instead of running off, like he had with the females, this time he decided to meet his new subject. Markus released his hands and stood up, breathing heavily and waiting for the final transformation.
Wayna sat up and blinked. He looked at Markus, then at his paws and tail. He flinched, yelped and broke out trembling. “What has happened?” came his fearful thought.
“There is no need to fear,” Markus thought back to him. “You were dead and I brought you back to life.”
“Where’s my body?” He continued to shake all over with his tail tucked.
“You’re a wolf now, and you must live as a wolf,” Markus thought. “It’s unfortunately the only choice for a while. The battle is over, and you’re one of the few men who survived, even though you’re different now.”
Wayna looked over his new body. “I’ve become an animal?”
“In appearance, but you’re more than an animal. You’re a shifter, just like me, however you’re not as skilled yet.”
“The battle? What happened?” Wayna thought.
Markus blinked. He had expected to at least get a thank you by now. “Your people suffered many deaths. At least the white peasants are trying to clean up the mess.” Markus motioned for him to follow. “I can show you. Though it’s rather far for a normal man, we can run faster.”
“Whatever we have to do,” Wayna agreed.
“I must shift. Don’t be afraid.” Markus decided to change into a wolf rather than a werewolf, so as not to run too fast.
“I don’t understand what you mean by shifter.”
“Watch and learn.” Markus focused on his particles and willed them to change. A yellow aura spread around him. His legs shortened, he grew fur and completed the shift into a regular wolf.
Wayna stared as if in a trance. “I’m dreaming.”
“You’re not. Someday you’ll learn how to shift into other beings.”
“What do you mean?” Wayna asked, sounding desperate.
“The only way to be like a human again is to shift. It’s the most difficult kind of shifting and takes a long time to achieve perfection. Some shifters never achieve it.”
“You mean I might never be human again?” Wayna asked.
“It’s possible, and I’ll try my best to teach you. For now, follow me.” Markus led Wayna through the forest.
Markus ran faster, until the trees rushed past in a blur.
Wayna fell behind. “Wait! You’re going too fast.”
Markus slowed a little. “Force your legs to move faster.”
Wayna started to catch up. “How can this be?”
“This is only the beginning.” Markus wanted to explain to him that it wasn’t that fast, but a new shifter could only absorb so much at once. He brought Wayna to the edge of the clearing where the white settlers were burning all the bodies.
“No!” Wayna thought and bolted toward the clearing.
Markus jumped in front of him. “It’s not wise to go out there. They tend to shoot at everything and wouldn’t hesitate to kill you again.”
“All my brothers are dead,” Wayna thought. “Please, let me go kill those men with my bare teeth.”
Markus admired how quickly he recognized some of his new abilities. “Perhaps later. Let them finish their work.”
Wayna turned and stared at him. “Tell me more, so I can know you better.”
“It’ll take time to know me because you have such limited knowledge of the world, but I’ll try. I was human over a thousand years ago, and used to be a Roman general, but with your lack of education you don’t even know what that means. As for saving you, the time came for me to start my own clan.” He couldn’t bring himself to talk about Gallus. “I wish you to be in my clan and can teach you many things.”
“The only thing I want is to get revenge for my people on these outlander scum,” Wayna thought.
“I certainly understand that. I used to be what you would call a chief of many warriors, and revenge is something I have relished in, so to speak.” A smile spread across his face.
“But why help me? Why not one of the whites?” Wayna asked.
He thought back to when he’d seen that barbaric man shoot Leotie. “Because I admire your people, and I didn’t want to see them take your land. However, I’m just one shifter.”
“I still want justice for my people,” Wayna thought, staring out at all the smoke coming from the fire of dead bodies.
Markus looked over the field where the soldiers burned the last of the bodies. Wayna’s desire for revenge was the way to his heart.
“There is one more form I must show you. It’s a superior form of strength and speed.” Markus concentrated again until he became half-man, half-wolf. This gave him longer legs and made him twice the size of a man, with long claws and enormous teeth, his face a mix of wolf and human.
Wayna hunched down and backed up. “Is...is that you, Markus?”
“I know I look like unusual, but this form has some uses.”
“I suppose it does, but what are you now, great one?”
Markus smiled at being called a great one. “Your people call us skin walkers, while the whites use the word werewolf, but we call ourselves shifters.”
A realization came over Wayna’s eyes. “I never believed in the old stories of skin walkers.”
“People see things and stories get passed around. Most of them distorted out of fear, but there is always a grain of truth about them.”
Wayna braced his legs as if he considered running. “All the stories I remember, skin walkers were evil and did bad things.”
“I wouldn’t pay too much attention to those stories. Humans are often afraid of what they don’t understand and stories get twisted over the years. We shifters are highly misunderstood. Besides, that’s what you are now and nothing can be done about it.”
Wayna relaxed and looked out in the clearing. “Will you let me have my revenge?”
“Of course, my new friend, but I have a surprise for you first back at my cabin. Now follow me.”
“But, we’re here. We could just...”
“The whites aren’t going away. In fact, I’m hoping more arrive soon.” That way Wayna could marvel at his power even more.
“You’re the wise one.” Wayna followed him all the way back to his cabin without further question.
Markus took him to the outbuilding, opened the door and began shifting back to human, glowing and lighting up the small barn.
Wayna paused at seeing another body and rushed over him. “Jolan! You took his body?”
“Yes, and there is still time to bring him back to life as a shifter, of course. What do you think?”
“Of course I want him to live. Please help him.” Wayna hurried over and bowed at Markus’ feet.
Markus stretched. “It’s been a long day and I’m tired, but yes, I will; however, there is just one little thing. You should refer to me as Lord Markus, since I am your master.”
“Lord Markus, please hurry.” Wayna pawed at the ground frantically.
Markus put his hands on Jolan and began pushing his energy, repeating the entire process. Wayna stared, trotting in place with anticipation. Markus was pleased he had waited to do this, as it was a way of ensuring Wayna’s loyalty. Of course, he would have to go through all the explaining again, which bored him to no end.
Then it occurred to Markus that he could let Wayna handle the explaining. If anything, Jolan would be less startled by Wayna.
Tomorrow they would go out to get the females. Then, after much instruction, they would all go to the fort of Clawson’s men. Together they would have some fun. His new clan mates would be eternally grateful.
