"What?"
Before I can understand what she is talking about, I suddenly cross the surface, and find myself lying on the cold glass of the mirror.
Someone screams, and I hear rummaging around me. I'm a bit... numb. Oh crap, what the hell is going on?
"M-M-M-Mara?"
I raise my head, and thank the Moon Goddess, Kelsi is there, looking at me with a confused expression. One step behind her, Nora is there too, looking just as surprised. Yeah, I guess they didn't expect to really see me come out of a mirror.
"Oh... wow," chuckles Nora, covering her smile.
"I-is it her?" asks Kelsi. "Is that our Mara?"
"Oh, Moon Goddess, yes, it is," says Nora with a large smile. "This time, it's our Mara..."
What is going on? Kelsi should be the first one to be happy to see me. A bit angry if she wants, but at least looking relieved. Now, she's staring at me with big shocked eyes, as if she couldn't recognize me. Oh, what the hell, what happened? My body, what did Mara mean about my body?
I try to stand up, and now, I realize something's really wrong... and odd. My body feels weird. I can move my head fine, but my... legs... I finally glance down, and immediately jump away from the mirror, panicked. What. The. Absolute. Hell! I hesitate and go back to the mirror to check again. Oh, Moon Goddess, this is real... I'm not in my body. As Mara said, I'm in the... other body. I'm a wolf.
Chapter 26
I'm a wolf.
Moon Goddess, I'm a freaking wolf! ...Damn, I did not expect that one.
"Mara, can you... hear me?"
I raise my head at Nora, a bit unsure. It's definitely her voice in my head, but... she didn't use her actual voice, did she? It's that thing they all do. The mind-linking thing. It's different from what I expected, and disturbing. I hear her like an echo in my head, very clear but as if she was standing farther away than that. Oh Moon Goddess, this is new...
I try to get up, getting used to the four legs, a bit unsteady. They are pretty strong, and once I've figured how to balance my body, it's fine to stand up. I check myself in the mirror again. Well, at least I'm a very pretty wolf... I look exactly like my inner wolf, even the heterochromia. One golden eye and a blue one. Between that and the gold and black fur, it's really unique... pretty and unique. However, I don't have much time to get used to this.
I take a deep breath and try to talk, but a growl comes out of my mouth. Oh shit, I'm really a wolf. How do I mind-link her back? I try to formulate a thought, but it's just... in my mind, not sounding like anything. I glance up at Nora, and hear myself whining, distressed. It's funny how easily my thinking translates into actions without me realizing. She smiles and comes closer, talking to me softly.
“It's alright," she says. "Just calm down, focus on my voice."
I try to, but... I'm a freaking wolf! I've never been a wolf! They all grew up with that ability, but I just learned I could even be a wolf half a minute ago, and there isn't some speed lesson on how to be a fucking werewolf.
Calm down, Mara, you got this. If you can make fire with your hand and create magic circles, mind-linking should be a piece of cake.... I try to focus on what Nora said, and hang on to her voice in my head rather than the fact that she's right here in front of me. I try several times, and end up growling, until finally, I think I grasp it.
"L-like this? Nora?"
"Yes! Exactly, Mara! You'll see, it's a piece of cake once you know how to do it, you can't forget. It's going to be as easy as simply talking."
"Yeah... Y-yeah, I think I got it now."
Between us, Kelsi keeps frowning and glancing back and forth between me and Nora.
"Th-this is really Mara?" she asks.
"Yes it is," says Nora with a confident smile. "I think she just... awoke a new side of her, since her body is taken."
"O-okay..."
Kelsi looks at me with an unsure expression. I can't blame her, neither of us expected this was even possible. I'm a bit sorry that I can't even talk with her like this, say something. Apologize for my mistake, to begin with. If only I had put in the effort I should have into studying about witches sooner instead of being so absorbed in my identity, my past, I wouldn't have made so many mistakes.
"Mara, are you alright? Anything that hurts?"
"No, I'm good, and quite fired up actually. But what were you guys saying about fires? What fires?"
