Alia did her best to ignore both Serena and Cameron the next few months but found that the spirit was not going to leave her alone.

Eventually, she'd had enough. “I still don't want you bothering me so just buzz off!” Her eyes were back to gray, matching her pants, shoes and zipped hoodie. “Freaking spirit,” she mumbled, walking off.

Serena chased after her, speed-walking down the school hall, trying to talk. “Ali-” She reached an arm or to place her hand on the other’s shoulder.

“No.” The golem raised her right hand, trying to tell the other to stop.

But she wouldn't. “All I did was introduce you to Ca-”

“Actually,” the girl spun, “what you did was follow me and bother me for half of a month and it didn't matter where I was so long as you were trying to help me. But, guess what?” She paused, gray eyes staring into golden, intimidating, Serena backing up a bit, hands slightly raised in defense. “You didn't help me. You freaking made it worse so leave. Get out of my sight. I'm not wanting to see you again.” She turned and once more walking off, only to quickly make a U-turn as Georgia came around the corner. I'm not talking to another bother today.

It was too late.

“Alia!” Georgia sped up a little, still wearing her precariously perched glasses, now dressed in a black, gray and white diamond-patterned sweater over an ivory shirt, wearing a dark gray, pleated skirt over slate-colored leggings, black flats on her feet. “How are you?” Her brown hair was up in a bun, wispy, flyaway strands visible.

“Annoyed," she mumbled, before walking off, Georgia, unfortunately for Alia, not giving up the chase.

“I didn't see you in class the last week! I want to know what happened.”

Alia sighed, spinning to face the other girl with a small glare. “Listen, I never asked for you to follow me around like I'm some sort of queen bee or something. So go.” With a small huff, she stalked off, to the next class of horrors, leaving Georgia staring after her, mouth slightly gaping. Alia paid no attention to the teacher except for roll call, sitting, as usual, at the back of class, head down, tilted sideways, staring at her sheet of lined paper, occasionally chicken scratching answers onto the page. The moment the bell rang to send her to last period, she ran out the door before Georgia, who sat in the center of the front row of tables, could see her and follow. For once, Alia actually went to her last class, knowing full well that Serena not only would head to the forest first but that she couldn't bother her during class without exposing her own secret.

Of course, Cameron had that class with her but she, at the very least, shouldn't need to talk with him. She hoped. There was a small chance of getting a group project and an even tinier probability of her getting grouped with him.

With a sigh, she plopped down onto the seat in the far, back left corner of the room, away from the door.

The voice of a female greeted her with slight contempt. “I see you've finally decided to join this class again, Alia.”

The girl looked up to see a tall, hook-nosed woman with a bony figure and long, black hair in a large bun. Lavender, cat's-eye reading glasses rested on the tip of her nose, her eyes as beady and black as a raven's. A long and pale lilac skirt, pleated, draped loosely, covering her feet, matching in color her blouse, her open-front, button up sweater the same shade as her glasses.

The golem rolled her eyes as she booted up the computer, soon smelling the scent of strong coffee, a shadow looming over her.

“You haven’t been in this class since the last day of the first week of the second month. Would you care to tell me why?”

Alia sighed, almost rolling her eyes before she spoke. “Not really, Ms. Fitzburg.”

“Are you certain?” The tone held a hint of malice and annoyance.

“Yes.” Alia turned to look at her as she continued. “So what, though? Do I need to be in here? Because I’ve done all my available assignments early,” just to keep you off my arse if I ever came back “so you shouldn’t have to bother me about them if I were to decide to return.” She went back to looking at her computer, seconds away from entering her username and password when the slightly flabbergasted teacher spoke up.

“Office, now, Alia.” As these words left her mouth, Ms. Fitzburg jerked her arm, soon pointing at the door with a ruler in hand, a glare on her face, making her look like an angry owl.

With the smallest of sighs and a bit of a huff, the golem stood, gathering her stuff, not even bothering to turn off the computer before leaving, pure black shoulder bag slung across her body, an equally ebony phone in hand, a rarely used object. Alia trudged down the hall, over multi-colored tiles, past closed, wooden doors and ancient, dark green lockers with old dial locks, numbers moderately worn, the steel of the locks looking like tarnished silver.

Some lockers had dents, others slightly peeling paint, few looking undamaged or unworn in any way.

Alia continued, reaching the stairs after a few minutes, starting down, running a hand over the faded green banister as she walked, accidentally leaving clay in some of the grooves. Then, back down another hall, with more old locks and older lockers, floor still an ugly symphony of color, and still cool though the cold would only bother her if it was literally freezing. While it wouldn’t kill her or anything, as some who’d used clay would think, it was still annoying to have all the liquid within her body freeze and later melt. The few times that it had happened before, she’d had to let herself blobify and reform several times in a row, taxing her stamina but keeping herself able to actually move normally. With another sigh, her thoughts wandering, she wondered if she should just skip the office and the end of school but, upon thinking of Serena hunting her down, she, for once in a long while, decided to go. Making a U-turn to get back on track, she stared into the distance as she continued walking.

Eventually, she found her way into the principal's office, a tall, blonde woman sitting at a sturdy, somewhat curved, dark stained corner desk, in a black, slightly cushioned office chair, a mug of tea in hand.

Setting her tea down, the woman turned to look at the golem, revealing her black, thin-rimmed oval glasses and the navy blue eyes with hints of green that shone from behind the lens. She wore a white blouse under a pale, beige cardigan, the sweater’s sleeves obscuring about a third of her hand, stopping just below her thumb, the bottom of the sweater stopping where it overlayed about a foot with her long, flowy, ebony slacks. She spoke, her voice hinting at cheer but not quite there. “What are you here for this time, Alia?” Her fair-skinned face held a slight frown as she placed her hands on her lap, one over the other, legs crossing at the ankle.

The golem sighed, staring out the window of the office, at the waving trees and fiery, dancing leaves. “Apparently the teacher didn’t like that I was telling the truth...” She crossed one leg over the other, resting her elbow on the higher thigh, placing her chin on her open palm.

The principal seemed to lean forward about an inch, if not more, though perhaps less. “What did you say to her?”

Alia glanced at the other female for a moment before going back to peering out at the landscape. “That she should be fine with me having been absent for most of her class because I finished her assignments.”

With a slight frown, the principal returned to her previous position, speaking as she did so. “Your teacher was-”

Alia tuned her out until she heard her name, turning to look at the principal once again, a questioning look on her face.

“Alia?” The principal’s expression was slightly questioning as she continued. “Did you hear me?”

“No and I don’t really care if I do, Mrs. Noltrac.” Alia turned to looked out the window again, now paying attention to nothing until there was a hand on her shoulder, causing Alia to jerk away, standing rapidly, spinning to face the culprit, the principal, eyes gray in surprise, fear and anger, even having known it couldn’t be anyone else.

Mrs. Noltrac saw this change in color and backed up slightly, not completely sure why that had happened, though she had an idea, before moving forwards again, her expression now one of mild surprise and slight shock. “Alia,” she began, “are you a,” she paused for a moment, as if wary, then continued, “mutant?”

The girl blanched at that and, before anyone could say a word, she was out the door, backpack and phone never having been set down, and speed-walking through the hall, out the main entrance and down the steps, fearing what would happen if the principal revealed this new information. She's more observant than most... The girl still had a slight flinch on her face from Mrs. Noltrac’s question. I can't let anyone else learn... I need to go into hidi- She was cut off by an annoyingly familiar voice.

“I wondered where you’d gone.” There was no light but Alia already knew it wasn’t always visible.

The golem groaned slightly as she spoke. “Go away Serena...” She continued speed-walking, wanting to not only get away from the school but from wherever the spirit was hovering. “I don’t want to talk...”

A slight hum of thoughtfulness was heard before the voice returned to speaking. “What happened?”

“The principal is observant,” she mumbled, eyes tinged gray.

“What do you-”

Alia spun, forgetting the soul orb was invisible, and spoke, eyes even grayer. “She, far as I can tell, saw my eyes change and connected the dots. She’s the only one who’s figured it out without prior evidence. Unless she has been observing me for quite some time.” She turned again, stalking off with a small huff, her eyes still fading to a neutral coloration.

Alia didn’t go to the forest, she didn’t go home, she didn’t go anywhere that she’d been in the last year. She went to the cave where she and one other had hid out. The cave where the pale boy still hid, about a mile from the city, set into the face of a cliff, a small ledge creating a path down to it, overlooking a good-sized forest, about half the size of the city.

Even if his mutation hadn't been as extreme as it was, he was an orphan who'd been going between foster homes at the time he was taken. He had no one to come home to, even if he could. Perhaps that was why he had been taken.

Alia slowly stuck her head into the cave before walking inside, dropping her bag and phone to the ground, only to be met with a growl and a lunging figure.

Eyes were bloodshot and redder than they'd been before, face paler than it used to be, hair still platinum but dirty and somewhat greasy, much longer than the last time she'd seen him. His nails were now claws, his teeth fangs, a joyful whine escaping his lips. His clothes were ragged versions of what he'd been wearing when he was first taken, only his feet bare. A furry, fluffy, gray tail wagged, swinging, wolfish ears pointing up and outward.

“Conner!” Alia raised her hands the best she could, flinching slightly at the droplets of saliva that hit her. “Calm down!” She slowly deformed and then pulled herself together about a foot in front of him.

At that, he sat up, crouching, wrists resting on his knees, an apologetic expression on his face, tail curled a little, ears slightly drooping.

Alia sighed slightly before placing a hand on his head, scratching his scalp and ears  like one might do with a dog. “I feel like it would've been a much better idea to have just stayed here with you... instead of heading back to my parents...” Her next words were mumbled but easily heard by the boy. “Though it’s not like I had much of a choice...” She paused in her scratching, causing him to push up against her hand. “Your mutation really did a number on you...” She sighed slightly again, once more scratching his head. “Whatever happened... it messed with more than your body...” The golem dropped down into a sitting position, the other mutant curling up with his head against her knee and his tail wrapped around himself.

For over an hour they sat there, Conner shifting occasionally, Alia slowly leaning back as she thought, absent-mindedly massaging his shoulder or stroking his hair. Eventually, she stood, eliciting a small whimper from the boy as she walked to the entrance of the cave, staring out over the fiery and golden trees of the forest, sparse greens here and there, tall and proud pines, firs and many other types of evergreens.

Conner moved to follow her, on all fours, legs bent, arms straight, a position he’d quickly come to using most if not all of the time. Soon, he sat, crouching like he had before, slightly pressing against the golem’s leg.

Alia leaned against the wall of the cave’s entrance with a sigh, arms crossed.

He whimpered a little, not sure why she seemed so down, tail slowly moving back and forth on the floor of the cave.

The golem glanced down at him, uncrossing her arms to stroke his head. “I got found out today... by the school principal... she saw my eyes...”

A sighing whimper escaped him as he looked down, expression slightly sad, ears drooping, tail curling up around his feet.

Alia noticed that and spoke again. “I don’t think you need to worry... she only knows about me... as far as I know... and I’m the only one besides you who knows where you,” and I, now, “live...”

Conner seemed to brighten at that, though just barely, gently rubbing against her leg, pawing her sneaker a bit, scratching shallow lines into her clay.

Alia began thinking back to when the wolf had first been led into the captives’ room after his mutation.

Alia had been in the cage that was located in the middle, a cell on each of three sides, one more in the front, right corner, one that didn’t border hers.

That one held Serena, an unconscious body.

The one to the right of Alia’s cage held Cameron and the one in front held the invisible girl.

The final one, to the left of her, was currently empty but where the pale boy had been the week before.

He would return that day.

Alia slowly looked up as she heard growls, the door opening to reveal the man pulling something with a rope, whatever it was soon visible.

It was Conner, arms and legs tied together, the rope straining as he attempted to break it, growling like a wild animal, teeth and nails visibly sharp, his ears higher on his head as well as being bigger and pointier.

“You’re... no better... than a... mutt... now,” the man grunted between heavy breaths, barely able to drag the struggling boy to the empty cage.

Alia moved back as Conner was tossed into his cell, still sounding like an angry or injured wolf, his tail now visible, seen to be curled between his legs.

The man soon left, many minutes passing before the golem dared to move closer to the boy’s cage, only to jump as the rope snapped forcefully and loudly.

Conner stared at Alia, pale amber eyes tinted with more red than before, mouth open in a growling manner, fangs and gums exposed, ears flat on his head, tail seeming to curl further.

The golem flinched slightly before taking a deep breath, continuing forwards until she was touching the glass.

He pressed his face against the clear wall, clawing at it, as if trying to get to her.

“C... Conner...” Her voice wasn’t steady, she knew that. “It’s... me... Alia...” She took another deep breath. “C... calm down... p... please...”

It took nearly six months for him to warm up to her again but, once he had, they slept against the walls that separated them, as close together as possible.

Alia was jerked out of her thoughts as Conner nudged her palm with his nose, whimpering slightly. “What’s wrong?”

He moved to be in front of Alia, gently pushing her back towards the cave, ears back, tail pointed towards the ground, at an angle, glancing up every so often with a small, low growl, coupled with a slight glare.

“Conner?” She moved inside so as to stop being pushed by him.

Once the golem was in the cave, the wolf-boy curled up at the entrance, keeping an eye, ear and nose out for whatever had alerted him, his ears flat, tail wrapped around him.

The girl frowned and moved to sit right behind Conner, hand on his back, a worried expression on her face. “Is someone here..?”

The smallest of nods, what seemed to be the most human gesture he could make, was his response.

Alia grimaced and, with a sigh, lay down, curled up, back against Conner’s side. Perhaps I’ll go to sleep early... She awoke to the sound of a loud growl and the feeling of movement, slowly opening her eyes but quickly sitting up as she saw what was going on. Really? She sighed a little. “Conner, there’s no one in there.”

Ears flat, pointing outward, with his tail straight and stiff, pointed towards the cave, he crouched over Serena’s motionless body, hand on her shoulders, feet between her knees, growling, but looked up as Alia spoke, a questioning look on his face, head tilted slightly, ears a bit droopy, tail the same.

“She can leave her body...” The golem looked around before calling out, loudly, “I know she’s here and I’d like to know how she found us.”

About a minute passed before the invisible spirit spoke up. “I.. looked for your soul...”

Conner leapt towards the sound, into the cave, growling louder, ears flattening, as he saw and smelled nothing.

“Conner... calm down...”

He seemed to grimace before he crouched, ears back, tail wrapped around himself, ready to spring up at a moment's notice but no longer in a threatening position.

“Thanks.” Alia moved into the cave, putting a hand on his head. “Show yourself, Serena. Or, better yet, fly into your body and come inside.”

The greenish-blue orb faded into view, slightly dim and humming a little in thoughtfulness. “I’m going to stay like this.”

“At least get your body in here - the sun’s going down and Conner is more likely to keep me safe than he is to protect your body from any wandering predators.”

The light dimmed a little more before a sigh was heard and it disappeared again, the body moving once more, into the cave, eliciting a growl from Conner, before the body dropped onto the ground, leaving the spirit hovering there.

“Why did you even decide to follow me?”

“I was worried for you,” she glanced at the boy before continuing, “though it kinda seems like I should be more worried for those who try to get to you... myself included...”

Alia scratched his head absent-mindedly as she replied. “Yeah... after getting close to him in captivity... he stuck with me like glue... mostly... and did his best to protect me.”

The light brightened slightly. “So sweet...” Serena’s tone was the kind one might use with a baby, cute but annoying.

Alia frowned. “He doesn’t even remember being human.” Her own tone was slightly stern, but not so much that Conner would growl at the other female mutant again. “From what I can figure, all he remembers is the man being mean, me calling him by his name and then me getting close to him. I was the only one that he could actually interact with, to a degree, besides the man. I was the person who did my best to show him kindness when the only other one he interacted with was mean to him.”

Serena was silent, not knowing how to reply.

Alia continued. “He’s basically a wolf with mostly human features. And he only remembers what happened to him there. Who was nice, who was mean, what happened to him after he woke. He was pretty much a newborn puppy with the senses and strength of a full-grown wolf. And he only knows his name because I called him ‘Conner’ that first night... and the nights after that.”

The light paled. “I... I didn’t kn-”

“Of course you never knew, you were on the far right, front cage while he was in the far left, back cell. Nowhere close to being near each other. I was the only one who bordered his enclosement.” She dropped to the floor, letting her hand fall, Conner soon placing his chin against her skull, at the top, almost exactly on the part of her hair, still in his crouched position, tail slowly swishing across the floor, ears slightly back.

The cave was mostly silent for many minutes, the only sounds being the occasional noise from one of the three shifting their position or something moving outside.

Eventually, someone spoke. “Head home... I’m fine here.” Alia was leaning against the wall, Conner once more curled up, his head on her knee again as she stroked his hair, running a hand through the thick, tangled mess, scratching behind his ears.

Serena hummed slightly, about to protest, but saw a weary glare on the golem’s face, an angry stare aimed at her. “Okay... but I’ll return tomorrow.”

“Go ahead. But don’t come in the morning.”

“Why?”

“That’s when he... feeds.” The clay girl grimaced slightly, Conner looking up with a small whimper as she stopped her stroking.

The light jumped backwards at that. “I... see...”

Alia slid downward slightly with a small sigh. “Goodbye, Serena...”

Conner went back to being curled up next to the golem, enjoying the calming strokes that came from her hand running across his back.

The orb quickly faded from view before the body started moving, heading out the cave. “Night...”

“Be careful.”

“I’ll try...” A sigh was heard as the spirit left, slowly walking up the ledge to get to the top of the cliff.

Alia stared after the retreating figure until she could no longer see it. For the rest of that night, she, for once in awhile, slept peacefully, curled up against Conner.