The Mating School

Chapter 13

Life Principles started the same way as Energy Control had; with the teacher calling students up one by one, but this time to receive a satchel of educational supplies. Lily was able to look through it to find notebooks, writing utensils, a planner, and a couple of books. But she wasn't able to see what the books were because Anne caught her arm, and was pulling her to a pair of desks that were uncomfortably close to the front of the room.

This room was much different than the room that Energy Control was held in. It was finished in sandy wood, and the desks were on different levels around the room to allow a clear view from all spaces.

The Fighting Defense class by comparison was held in the spacious indoor gym. Lily felt a bit sick just thinking about it. She was easily the worst in the class.

"Life Principles is a class of science," the teacher, Mr. Prunski, started in what was sure to be a long-winded lecture. But before Lily was able to lose interest, Anne passed a letter to her.

'I found something out!'

'About the sledding day and fondue party?' Lily wrote back. She attempted to slide it back nonchalantly, but it was a sloppy pass. It seems she hadn't acquired clandestine note-passing skills yet. 

'About the Lycans! and the prophecy.'

'You're keeping me in suspense? Tell me already!' Lily wrote back, this time slipping the note into her notebook as if needing to share her lecture notes.

'There's more than one. At least... there will be. I'm not able to get to the actual prophecy until I get a key to the locked study room in the library. And I'm not sure what the key is or how to find it yet. (Henceforth referred to as Project Acquisition!)' Anne passed her this on a new paper. 

'More than one?' Lily wrote back on a new paper. 'How? Do the Lycan's just resolve into being from the mists?'

'I hadn't thought about that actually,' said Anne's note. 'I was too busy reading about their abilities. They're able to take more than one animal form.. if they're able to control their powers anyway.'

'What happens if they don't control them?' wrote Lily. 'And does this lycan stuff have anything to do with the class markers we're required to wear? It's like we're a massive herd of cattle who's been branded.'

'I didn't think about how they were born. Nothing I've read talks about that. I'm not sure about the markers either. But it seems to be the school's way of tracking and categorizing the students to help provide the best opportunities based on the student's aptitudes. I've heard pink represents those with healing abilities. But that could just be a rumor.'

"Time will tell," Lily said to Anne as the students around them moved to get out one of the textbooks "A Shifting World."

It was the first time they'd been in the fourth-floor courtyard. Lily saw then that there was a massive domed roof above it that was perfectly clear. Beyond it, she could see dark clouds, and white snowflakes that seemed to dissipate by the time they got close to the glass shield. 

It was colder out there as compared to inside the building but the light grey jackets, provided with their school uniforms, were more than sufficient. Lily noticed that several other students waiting there for the start of General Agility class didn't bother with a jacket at all. Perhaps knowing that the active class would make them too hot for the added layer.

Lily was busy scanning the students to see if Ryan was there. She wasn't sure why, but something about him kind of irked her.

"Don't worry, he's not here," said Anne.

"That's a relief," said Lily, rubbing a knotted muscle in her shoulder. She still ached all over from the fighting class yesterday, and she felt like she was coming down with an illness or something. 

When she mentioned the feeling to Anne, she said, "I wouldn't worry Lily. Shifters don't get sick remember?"

Lily nodded, but as the physically strenuous class started she wondered again if she even was a shifter. And if she wasn't.. what then? How much longer can this charade continue?  

What would happen if it didn't continue?

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