Phases

Prologue

Alex's tears shimmered in the moonlight as she knelt next to her injured comrade. "Don't die on me, Savannah," she begged, "Not now. Not tonight."

The girl beneath her waited a moment to connect her mind with her's before answering. "It's too late Alex. The poison's already in my bloodstream."

The blonde widened her eyes in surprise as the sentences entered her thoughts. Telepathy. She hadn't been expecting it. The group had promised to use it only for emergencies and when they were in transformation. It didn't make sense. Unless...Savannah couldn't speak physically. She shook her head furiously in denial as she joined the mental link. "No. No, it's not too late. It can't be. I'll...take you to a hospital. They can help you. You'll...you'll-"

Savannah stopped her friend with a touch. "Alex." She gestured to her stomach. Reluctantly, Alex glanced at the blood drenched area. She knew it was hopeless. I mean, people couldn't normally be stabbed with a poisoned dagger and live to tell the tale about it. Pain filled her chest. It wasn't hard to tell either. All she had to do was feel the sickness coming off of Savannah's link.

"Plus," her companion continued, "they'd ask too many questions. We'd never be able to answer them all." Alex avoided eye contact and stared at the ground, her face becoming wet with tears. Everything went silent.

Watching her companion so upset, Savannah found herself crying also, but quickly blinked the feeling away. The last thing Alex needed was to see her like this. All of sudden, a thought occurred to her. "Alex. Hey...Alex." Stormy blue eyes slowly made contact with her deep brown ones. "Yes?" Painfully, she reached behind her neck and undid the knot in her necklace, placing it in her friend's hands.

Alex picked up the leather cord and stared, entranced, at the circular silver pendant hanging from it. The moonstone. The most powerful thing in their possession. Unlike any of the other necklaces, not only did it allow it's wearer to channel her powers, but it connected her both mentally, and sometimes physically, to the rest of the group. The thing was; it was only meant for the leader. Her heart stopped as she realized what that meant. Alex broke from her trance and let the necklace drop back into her hands. "Savannah...you don't mean..."

The leader nodded and placed a hand on Alex's shoulder, indistinctly muttering in her head as she did so. When she was finished, she smiled. "Now you're the leader."

Horror radiated from Alex's link. "Sa...Savannah..."

Savannah sensed this and squeezed her arm comfortingly. "They'll need a leader, Alex. I know you'll guide them right." The new leader pondered this for a moment, then met her gaze, as if to ask if it were true. Savannah smiled in conformation. Suddenly, a howl pierced the night, followed by distant footsteps. The two girls looked at each other, realizing that their time was running out. "You need to go now," Savannah pushed, her tone serious.

Alex shook her head. "No! I'm not leaving you, you'll die!"

Savannah smiled sadly. "I'm going to die anyway Alex." Her grin faded. "Now go before they kill you too." She weakly pushed her friend's legs in an effort to get her to leave. Alex obeyed and stood up, holding the moonstone in her hand. There was no other choice. She had to do it. It's what Savannah wanted. With a deep breath, she tied the necklace around her neck.

Almost immediately the power in her veins seemed more present, and she knew her role as leader was confirmed. Taking a few moments to get used to the change, she took off the waning moon necklace that placed her in a lower rank and stuffed it in her pocket. Alex then started to leave, but not before taking one last look behind her at Savannah. She knew it would be the last time she would see her. Resigning as leader was like writing her will; it let the enemy know she was ready to die. And by putting on the moonstone, she was signing it.