I closed my eyes tight and lay my head sideways on her back. Listening for something. The wind blew against the Ash tree and the outer part of the circle, but it never reached us. I heard the leaves move, but that was it. I slid my arms upwards and tightened them around her neck. I prayed to Lady Moon, to help me, to help me understand, to show me what the world inside me was trying to tell me. Then I heard it, the soft beat of her heart. It was strong, but quiet underneath all the muscle mass. I took a deep breath through my mouth and let it out slowly through my nose.
Once, twice, and finally noticed my own heart was slowing down. Fear started to leave, and my muscles started to relax. I rubbed my face against her fur, reminding me that I was safe with a deep exhale. Slowly, our hearts started beating together. I kept my eyes closed and kept listening to her life force under my ear.
My body slowly started feeling like liquid, seeping into the wolf's body. I kept the panic at bay and took another deep breath of her calming scent.
The musk of the forest infiltrated my thoughts.
She was trying to show me something; I should trust her, right?
Something snapped in my chest, and I felt like I was falling. All I saw was blackness, and I couldn't hear anything anymore. There were no smells, no sounds, nothing. It was like I was floating in the Abyss. I tried to reach out, but found my arms were too heavy to lift, and my legs were the same way. I wanted to scream, to panic, to do something, but instead I couldn't. I was just floating.
I tried to think of Amearia's safe place again, but nothing happened. I thought of Zary, and the pendant in my hand flowed in front of me, and it began to glow a bright blue against the abyss. It made me squint my eyes, I tried to will myself to move, and I needed to follow it.
I needed to get to it. Zary was trying to help me again.
I grounded my teeth together and put all my effort into moving. I still didn't move, but the space around me did. Zary's light was coming closer to me. Slowly, but it still counted. I kept forcing myself to 'move' and the space around me kept going towards his light. The orb was getting brighter and bigger until it completely took up everything I saw. I had to slam my eyes closed before the light burned my retinas. When the light began to dim, I slowly opened my eyes and noticed I was lying on the ground.
I looked up and saw that the orb was the pregnant moon. I tried to get up and fell. The colors of the area around me were muted. The flowers weren't as bright; it seemed like someone tried to gray wash but tried to keep some sort of color.
I looked down and saw a color of sand colored paws underneath me. I tried to take a deep breath, and it came out as a huff. I blinked my eyes and turned my head. Behind me was Alexia's body, but... was I her?
Congratulations. You've Synced. We've Synced.
I felt a thread of panic creep into my mind and felt my pulse speed up. I looked around again, but felt her shake her head in my mind.
No, my dear. You won't see me for the moment. For I am you, and you are me.
I blinked and looked up at the moon in the sky. I pushed myself up to stand on all four legs; the weight difference was insane. Sh- I was so heavy. I lifted my left paw to see if I could take a step, and one by one, I padded over to the Ash tree and looked at the small pond that Amearia used for divination. I felt my eyes go wide, but I investigated the water again. Looking back was Alexia. I couldn't believe it! I was a Rougarou, a shifter?!
I looked at my muzzle, the white patch that started between my eyes all the way to the start of the black part of my nose. There was another white patch underneath my chin. There was a darker brown color for my back paws, but it only went up my back legs halfway. My tail swung behind; it almost made me jump again with a yelp.
I had a tail?!
The air around us tried to get heavy again. I felt my lungs start to constrict when Alexia howled in my mind, and I echoed. Trying to clear everything away.
Merissa, it is time to wake up now. I will be here; you can call on me for advice. This is your body. You can shift. I am your wolf. I am a part of you. Your essence, I'm here to speak, give advice, and protect you on the spiritual and physical plane.
Go. Find your family. Merissa Anders. The world is not safe now.