Outcasts

[19]

I took a deep breath of fresh air as I walked through the forest. I had just finished my martial arts class and the book was safely hidden in the recesses of the sanctuary. All around me were my pack, happily laughing and joking with one another as we headed down to our favorite, hidden spot - a large cave that was half above water and half underwater. Descending into the dark, shadowy cave, I led my pack into the world and safety it supplied.

The walls, untouched for seemingly centuries, still contained distinct traces of Washington's once-abundant silver. Though far away, the ocean's lapping against the rocks echoed through the cave, bouncing off walls and creating calm music on our trek to the cave's heart. Eventually, we reached the heart of the cave, a large room with rock on one half and seawater on the other. Silver light danced across the walls, and in the presence of a mermaid, hidden gems gave a soft hint of a majestic, ocean blue.

Lana went out ahead of us, disappearing into the shadowy waters to turn. The rest of us wordlessly morphed into our wolf forms, positioning ourselves on the cave floor. Uuuuh. I needed this. Connor groaned, stretching out beside the water. Lana emerged from the water, now in full mermaid form. Her blue-to-silver scales were bright, her shoulders and waist tinted blue. Her eyes were now silver, and her features had hardened like rock, but remained soft to the touch. Her curls had turned into waist long, black braids that ombred into blue. Mystic silver tattoos covered practically everything from her collarbone to her waist, all in the beautiful, yet indiscernible symbols of her people. Her tail was a beautiful shade of blue, and the fins on it, much like an angel fish, were transparent and silver. She was an absolutely gorgeous example of the supernatural.

I, a little less willing to be so close to the water, lied down in the middle of the room, resting my head on my paws. Piper and Anita were together, as usual, with Piper lying on top of the smaller wolf. Scott, in his usual manner, sat closer to the exit, constantly watching for the unlikelihood of intruders. Bella, as she usually did, layed down behind me, her head resting on my back. Even though the others were perfectly comfortable in the practice, I still found the steady flow of memories coming from one another as odd and uncomfortable. The only memories I couldn't find were, of course, Lana's. Since she wasn't a wolf, she wasn't connected like we were; however, like all mermaids of her blood, she could read our minds and speak to us telepathically. That said, she typically spoke aloud, as it made her more comfortable. "Why?" She asked to Connor, stroking his ruddy fur.

Scott internally rolled his eyes and gagged. You'll never have this, Scott. Connor said. Scott's head shot up, and almost instinctively he growled at Connor. It was a low, threatening growl, but since they were pack members, it didn't have much promise. Bastard. Scott replied, gruffly.

Anyway, I failed a test today, so yeah...that sucks. Connor groaned, inching his head farther on Lana's lap. "What class?" Lana asked, smiling down at him. Algebra. He said, It was sucky. Lana chuckled, continuing her smooth motions through Connor's fur. Scott scoffed, rolling his eyes in our direction briefly before returning his attention to the doorway. Yeah, your day sucked. He said.

What happened to you? Anita said, turning her head towards Scott's large figure. Rachel and I broke up. He replied. I couldn't help but be jealous by the amount of skill he and all the others had when it came to forming a wall on their thoughts, they could keep any secret they wanted while I struggled to keep my thoughts in check. Almost as soon as he said that, the scene started playing in everyone's mind like a movie from Scott's perspective.

Rachel, uncharacteristically, was in corner, crying. Her face was makeup-less, but there was still a river-like stain of the mascara she had worn previously all down her cheeks. Her eyes were red and puffy, and her usually smooth skin was red and blotchy. Her outfit, unlike her usual well-done clothes, were chunky pajamas with a large, grey sweatshirt. Her black hair was in a mess, just like the room around her. She had completely broke down.