Shapeshifter's Moon

Chapter 1

The echo of an angry bear's roar made her lift her head from her paws. She looked around, her fuzzy black ears swiveling to catch the direction of the sound. Another roar from the bear and she was on her feet, bounding through the leafy underbrush. Now that she was on the move, she could hear the grunts and cries of a human. A familiar scent carried on the wind made her stop and sniff the air. Pouncing forward, she ran as fast as she could, letting her lithe body stretch to its full length with each stride.


The forest whipped passed her in a blur as she ran, focused on the sounds of battle quickly approaching. The bear roared, sharp claws raking into thick wood. She skidded to a halt in a small clearing within the trees and found the source of the struggle. A giant, grizzled brown bear had scratched a nearby tree trunk in attempt to strike the human, now on the ground. The man was seated, his back pressed against the rough, grey bark of a tall, conical tree. She saw the glint of his sword laying the grass out of his reach. She assumed that it had been knocked from his hand in the struggle. The bear rose to its hind feet, bellowing loudly enough to send the birds scattering from the tree branches. The human pulled his arms over his head, in attempt to protect his face from the impeding blow of the bear's mighty paw.


She growled low in her throat before unleashing her own screaming roar. This human had saved her this past winter and she owed him her life. The bear turned to face her, snorting derisively at her attempt to scare him off. She pulled her paws tight, exposing long sharp claws of her own. She stalked forward, her head down and her tail snapping to and fro behind her. The shining black fur stood up in a ridge along her back, showing her ire to the enemy animal. The bear was not dissuaded. It kicked a clot of earth at the human with one giant fore-paw, testing the cat's resolve. It growled and huffed at her, baiting her to attack. She did not disappoint.


She launched at the bear, claws fully extended. The bear was quick, but she was far quicker. The panther landed on the bear's side, digging her claws into shaggy fur and flesh. The grizzly beast roared in pain and twisted under her comparatively small weight. He reared up, trying to toss the cat off his back. She struck out with her back feet, gaining purchase and moving up the bear's back. The bear circled, reaching back with tooth and claw in any attempt to remove the cat from its body. She bit down on the back of the bear's neck, fore-paws digging in on both sides of the bear's prominent shoulders.


The bear roared again in pain and turned away form the human still pressed against the base of the tree. The cat held on a little longer, until she was sure that the beast would wander off back into the depths of the forest. At that point she released her claws, lightly dropping to the thick, green grass covering the floor of the forest. She cried out after the bear in defiance and victory, long sharp canines gleaming in the late afternoon sun. She huffed out a breath, watching the bear melt into the woods, groaning with each step.


Turning, the panther returned to the man frozen at the base of the tall, rough-barked tree. He stared at her with large, deep blue eyes. A lock of thick, light brown hair fell down into his eyes and he hastily brushed it aside. She sat at his feet, staring at him with large intelligent eyes. She sat with her head held high, her chest puffed out and her long tail wrapped around her feet. She waited, blinking slowly, until the man began to calm. She drew in a breath, drinking in his scent. This was him, this was her human.


* * *


He stared back at the lithe black cat sitting at his feet. He let his eyes look the cat over.


'Is this the same cat?' he thought, 'it certainly looks like the same cat. Definitely female, no obvious bits hanging around anyway . .  and those eyes, those beautiful bright eyes . .' He shifted his weight to sit more comfortably on the grass and leaned forward a little, resting his elbows on his knees. "You've eaten well now that it's Spring haven't you?" He felt silly talking to a wild cat, but somehow he sensed that she could understand him anyway. Plus it felt good to have something - someone - to talk to again. "It was you I met last Winter wasn't it?"


The cat slowly blinked and wiggled as she adjusted her feet beneath her.


"Well I want to thank you all the same for running that bear off. We mutually surprised each other and it got a lucky strike in, knocking my sword out of my hand. I thought I was a dead man . . Though I'm a dead man already, so I suppose it really doesn't matter." He rested his bearded chin in the palm of one hand, letting his elbow push into the inside of his knee.


The cat's ears swiveled away and back to focus on him quickly, and she cocked her head slightly to one side as he spoke.


His nervousness at the proximity of the animal was slowly dissipating. She made no move to harm him, though she made no move to leave either. His heart was thrumming away with adrenaline within his chest and he took a deep steadying breath. Sitting up straight, he took a chance and held a hand out to her. He was tentative at first, feeling the nervous sweat beading on his brow, but he managed to hold his hand steady before the cat. She slowly extended her neck, bringing her flat, black nose closer to him. Her nostrils flared and wiggled as she sniffed his hand. Her mouth opened slightly as she breathed, getting a taste of him, and he was afraid, for a moment, that she was going to bite him. To his relief, the cat pulled her muzzle away, licking her whiskers and remained seated where she was.


It was then that he noticed a glint of metal hiding in the fluffed fur of her chest. Hesitantly, he reached out to it, his curiosity getting the better of him. The cat watched him, craning her neck to see what it was that he was reaching for, but did not interfere with his actions. Her fur was soft and silky against his fingers as he groped for the object hanging from her neck. Finding what he sought, he pulled out a thin, but sturdy silver chain. It glittered in the beams of light that made it through the heavy canopy of leaves overhead. As he pulled the chain free of the cat's fur, a deep purple stone emerged from where it was nested against her chest.


"What's this? Do you belong to someone?" he paused watching her reaction. "No, no you don't have an owner. You are as wild as this place aren't you?"


She blinked.


He turned the stone over his palm. It was a fairly large stone, wrapped in silver shaped to mimic leaves that held it to the chain around her neck. "But where did you get this I wonder?" He snorted in amusement. "I really don't know why I am talking like this to you. It's not like you're going to reply. I guess it is nice to have someone who will listen and not judge me." He let the stone twist in the air as he held both sides of the chain between thumb and forefinger. "My name is Gabe - ah Gabriel. Gabriel Targyn. My father is one of the nobleman from Limorall, but I guess you really don't care do you." He let the amulet fall into his other hand while he mused aloud. "Do you have a name then kitty?"


The amethyst warmed in his hand and a faint light glowed from deep within it. A woman's ethereal voice rippled through his mind.


Rowan . .


Gabe's eyes widened, the amethyst glow shining in them. "Rowan," he whispered. "Is that your name? Rowan?" He looked at the cat's bright yellow-green eyes and when she blinked at him, she seemed to be saying yes. He let the stone fall gently into the blanket of her black fur.


Gabe blew out a breath leaning back against the tree behind him. "You know, I knew a girl named Rowan once. Rowan Tierny." He smiled at the flood of pleasant memories. "Her father had arranged a marriage between us because of my father's status you see. I was dead set on hating her when my parent's told me, but she was an amazing girl. We used to play with the horses in the yard and I don't know who got more filthy - me or her." Gabe chuckled, pushing his wavy hair back off his face where the gentle breeze had blown it. "Rowan had the strangest, most beautiful eyes that I had ever seen. They're a lot like yours kitty. Green around the pupil and fading to yellow-gold as you reach the whites."


The big cat slowly stood and moved closer to Gabe's side, sitting back down beside him. Absentmindedly, Gabe reached up and began to scratch her behind one of her round fuzzy ears.


"I still wonder what ever happened to her. Her family visited mine often; my parents loved Rowan's mother. Her father was a bit of a dick, but he was polite enough I suppose. One day Rowan and I had been up to our usual antics, and the next time they were due for a visit, she never came. I was nine at the time - so long ago now, but I remember it like yesterday. I hope, wherever she is that she is safe and happy. I still want to marry that girl." He looked at Rowan with sad eyes. "Stupid of me huh? To pine over a girl who has probably long forgotten about me?"


Rowan purred so fiercely under his touch that she was vibrating. The cat licked his free hand with the tip of her rough, pink tongue.


Gabe smiled at her. "Thanks for listening," he sighed, "but I had better get going. I have a ways to go yet today before I can safely sleep."


Rowan cocked her head, this time leaning into his hand at her ear.


He laughed gently. "You are cute, kitty. I wish I could take you with me," he joked. "It would be nice to have a traveling companion."


Gabe stood up, brushing the clinging blades of grass from his coat and leather pants. He gathered his fallen sword, sliding it into the scabbard at his hip; a dull metallic thud echoed as it stopped at the hilt. His finely crafted bow was also laying in the grass and he bent to pick it up. Upon standing, Gabe adjusted the small pack on his back and looked down at Rowan.


"Thanks Rowan. If you hadn't have come along - well I doubt I would be here any longer. I guess that makes us even now." He smiled, but a hint of sadness lingered in his eyes. Gripping his bow tightly, he turned away and began to walk away heading deeper into the Dark Forest.


* * *


She remained seated, watching Gabe move away from her. From the direction that he was traveling, Rowan guessed that he intended to head deeper into the woods. Normal people didn't venture even this deep into the woods. Hidden dangers lay at every turn and the humans had been right about vicious beasts residing here. One of the Four, the goddess Cera, watched over this land and only those that she allowed in could find its heart. Rowan watched for another minute, but Gabe did not alter his course. He trudged along, lifting his legs high over fallen branches and other moss-covered debris. The bushes were in full leaf now that Spring had come to the kingdom of Andorill, and they reached out to grab at Gabe's clothing as he pushed though them.


A sudden shout and the immediate scatter of birds from the trees behind her, made Rowan turn her head. She listened intently, her ears trained forward as far as they could go, and heard the faint sound of multiple men tracking though the wood. Her heartbeat quickened. She whipped her head around to look at Gabe, then went back to listening to the sounds of men approaching. They were coming for him. Why else would Gabe want to go into the forest?


She rose and in a single swift motion, Rowan bounded through the brush to meet up with her human. He would need her help, even if he didn't know it yet.