“Your voice inside my head.”
I gave her a reassuring smile. “Your powers are growing, this will be helpful for us to communicate when I shift. Are you ready?”
She nodded.
Kissing her forehead one more time, I brushed off the fresh smudge of dirt she had smeared across her face and shouldered the pack before crouching to shift back into my panther form.
Turning my glowing gaze on my daughter, I bowed low and waited for her to scramble up on me, grunting as her tiny booted foot dug into my ribs and her hands ripped at my throat to find purchase. Her petite size and my large frame made the task difficult but she was a determined little cub, with more than her fair share of her mother’s fierce ambition.
"Stay strong, little umbra," I whispered through the soulmate bond towards Remnant, ignoring that cavernous feeling the distance had created between us. Not knowing if she could hear me but attempting anyway. It was a painful reminder of all those nights I had spent without her, wide awake, unable to sleep from the ghosts that haunted my memories and the even louder thoughts of all the things I would have changed to just spare her even a few seconds of the horrible fate she endured.
Then when those thoughts were too much, I'd talk with no ears to listen but for the unwilling beast inside of me. I'd paint tales of new adventures I'd take her on, the beasts I'd impress her with, the nights I would lovingly cherish every ounce of her darkness, and the beautiful vision of her ruling my court alongside me…the Finlandia sun highlighting her beauty down to her very soul—a soul I knew was just as searing as the heat of the lands we ruled.
"Iam ready, faedere," Riella whispered, my ears twitching at the soft lilting sound of her voice.
"Can you hear me, my cub?”
"I can hear you, just like the last time, " she whispered, her small arms wrapped barely a quarter around my neck as she leaned low, her heart starting to beat wildly in her chest again as her hands embedded into my sleek black fur. "I can hear all things that wish to speak to me."
I purred, proud of the fae she was becoming.“Keep low and hang tight. I do not know what lurks in this forest and the needles on these trees are rough.”
I rumbled when she pressed even tighter into me and then stalked the branch gathering my strength to leap across the next wide limb, hearing Riella gasp as I landed softly upon roughened bark, the black foliage brushing against us with yearning."It is a true gift you know. Your secondary power to hear all living things,”I spoke to distract her, feeling her heart rate pound against my body.“A fae is lucky if they are given one. Only the most powerful are able to evolve this way."
I could practically hear her mind whirling with questions. "What is mother’s?" her warm breath whispered along my fur.
"Hold on,"I growled low, sliding down a massive trunk only to spring sideways towards another large needled tree. Something rustled in the brush. Lunging, my teeth sunk into the feathered neck of a large bird, a small tiny squawk the only sound it was able to make before its neck made a sickening crack and the strong metallic taste of blood filled my mouth.
The hunger roared to life inside of me but I was ready for it this time, shoving it back beyond the deep mental barriers I trained myself to build for Ethereal.
Riella stiffened on top of me.
"Apologies, my cub but I cannot have it revealing us, we are still being followed."Slowly, I lowered the feathered creature to the wide branch, praying that it would at least feed whatever else that lurked in here that may be hankering for a snack instead of us.
"I understand," her voice quivered.
My body rumbled with a purr to soothe her, feeling her sadness like a sharp stab in my gut. Unlike all the fae I had ever known, Riella expressed her emotions outwardly. Both joy and sadness were always so innocently naked on her face, a trait worth honoring and protecting…even if our courts saw itas a weakness.
"Your mother has aura sight,"I said, hoping to change her current sadness as my senses constantly analyzed and cataloged the world around me at a heightened speed, carefully dictating my route.
Something slithered and hissed above. The black imposing trees we traveled seemed much too conscious of our presence and brushed against us when I knew there had been more clearance just moments before. It forced me to alter my direction often, and I just barely avoided a strange looking group of spiny flowers that grew on thick vines. Their petals mouthed the air, reminding me too much of the ball biting dragon plants of Faerie.
"Faedere…what is my aura?"
I paused. My clawed paw suspended in the air while I searched my memories."I…I do not know."
Her body wilted against my back and I realized then, that Remnant had never actually told me mine either."Aura power is not always reliable, like the sight it has its limitations. What I do know is that your mother has never read another's aura for them and spoke of it. They are like peering into the essence of one's soul and revealing the truths that could very well change someone's fate if they knew."I shot her a toothy grin over my shoulder."But we can still ask your mother when we see her again. Deal?"
Riella nodded against me. "Deal." Her mind was loudly racing again. "What is your secondary power, faedere?"
I hummed, avoiding dark drips from above that smelled of blood."This is a secret I have not told anyone before, not even your mother knows. Do you think you can keep it for me?"
Riella nodded eagerly and I chuffed, launching higher up into a cluster of dense trees to avoid the drip of whatever poor creature was bleeding out from above us.
"Iron does not affect me the way it does most,"I confessed. "Yes, it prevents me from shifting but the longer I am chained to it…the stronger my shifter strength becomes. My power feeds on it."
"Iron does not weaken you?"
I chuckled bitterly. "Oh it weakens me plenty…initially but over time I can overcome it as long as I am not injured."
