
Chapter 6: Snow Leopard, Mossy. Snow Leopard.
Sry for the long wait, hope this is worth it.
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*Raven's POV*
A snow leopard. Why was there a snow leopard here? The snow leopard tensed, it's strong muscles clenching under it's fur, and a far away look came across it's eyes.
It's eyes. The ice blue lilac flecked eyes interested me, they were definitely not normal snow leopard eyes. I could tell that the snow leopard was a girl, it looked more graceful, more slim, and more agile than a male would.
I'm known for not liking school at all, or any of it's subjects, but that's not entirely true. I don't like school, and all of the classes in school except one. Biology. Especially the study of animals. I love animals.
The snow leopard's growling made me redirect my focus to her, scrambling to back away from the dangerous big cat. I wonder if I could yell for help?
*Moss's POV*
The face I looked down on was very familiar. The black-haired girl was Raven, my friend. My teeth were bared and I was growling ferociously at her while she cowered against the mossy dirt ground. My animal instincts were slowly taking control, making me believe that Raven was prey, or a enemy. More like prey, she was so small and defenceless. It made me realize how defenceless humans really were, without the elements. If this had been Aspen, he probably would have used his earth element on me by now.
'Moss! Listen to me! Come back! Control it!' Frost yelled at me from inside my head, knowing that Raven was a friend and trying to urge me back to my senses. But her voice was distant, blocked, and muffed by some animalistic force. That's the thing that scared me the most. This was me. Not Frost. Me.
This is Raven! This is Raven! Raven! The black-haired girl from school! School? What's that? A raven? That's prey.
My thoughts conflicted each other, a human side and an animal side. But I was ripped out of my thoughts by Raven, who yelled, "Help! Someone, guys! Help me!"
At that, my animal side won. I pounced on her, my claws scraping her soft skin lightly, puncturing it and making small beads of blood rise up. My vision started to slowly go black and darkness took over. I was standing in darkness. The kind of darkness that you can't see anything. No shapes, no floor, nothing, just black, pure and... cold. It was chilling, freezing, but it was nice. I took a step forward, and I got engulfed in a blinding cold light.
I took another step forward, and I could see beautiful humongous mountains filled with crystal white snow, untouched in its natural beauty. "Where am I?" I wondered out loud, completely and utterly confused on how this was happening, and generally thinking over the last couple of days.
"You are in my territory."
I spun around to face the voice, and looked at a pretty girl that looked like... me. There was only a few differences, this girl had icy blue-white hair, hazel eyes with ice blue and light lilac purple flecks, snow leopard cat ears and a matching bushy tail. Other than that, this girl could have been my twin, if we were in a different situation. "Y-your territory?" I stuttered.
The girl smiled crookedly, very like my smile. She gestured to the mountains as she answered my hesitant question, "Yes. This is my territory, and yours. This is your mind, after all."
I gaped in surprise, "Are you... Frost?"
"Yes, the human version," She gestured to something behind me. "Sit."
I spun around, and a flat rock appeared in front of my eyes. In the background, the snow-filled mountains continued for as far as I could see. We were in the only clearing for a long, long way. "H- How?" I probably sounded pathetic.
Frost laughed, "No, you don't sound pathetic, you sound shocked."
"Wait, you can read my mind like before?"
"Yup, I mean this is your mind, so...." She trailed off.
"Why is it all snowy mountains though?" I asked, recovering from the shock of what just happened.
"Because it's also my mind, and I am a snow leopard. This is my natural home," Frost answered calmly.
"Ok," I took a deep breath in, trying to calm down a bit. Then I remembered, "Raven! What happened?!"
"Calm down," Frost chuckled. "Raven's fine, you passed out. I can't say the same about our body though, she called for help, so the others will come, and probably assume the worst."
I sighed deeply in relief, then panicked, "What about me? Where will I be when I wake up?"
She shrugged her shoulders, "I really don't know, probably a cage. But our snow leopard form should be stable now, we shouldn't go all animal again. Just don't try and shift into any other animal yet, ok? Or back into human form around other humans."
I opened my mouth about to ask about those last sentence couple of sentences, when Frost and the mountains disappeared and was replaced with darkness once again. I blinked and when my eyes opened, I found myself staring at a soild dull grey wall.
My body was filled with dread as I turned around. Oh, no.
I was in a zoo. Luckily, it was my town, the elemental town in Canada. But still, a zoo?! My friends and Mom must of sent me here, not knowing I was Moss.
Examining the enclosure I was in, I saw it had an open roof, and one side that was glass for viewing me. That glass wall was filled with faces of young and excited children. Except for two. Raven, and Reai. Their faces were filled with sadness. For a moment, I was confused of why they were so sad. Then it hit me.
The others thought I killed Moss. They probably hated my snow leopard form.
Frost? Are you there?
'Of course I'm here, can't go anywhere else, can I?'
I guess not. I chuckled a little, despite the situation. Do you see where they put us?
'Yes, a zoo.' Frost practically spat in disgust.
I'm going to assume you don't like zoos.
Frost replied. 'You assumed correct. Now, how do we get out of here?'
I don't know... I pondered helplessly as the day past. The sun went down, and the people began to leave. A zookeeper opened a door to my enclosure, making a loud unlocking sound. Alright, so the place was locked up for sure. The zookeeper quickly chucked some raw meat into my enclosure, and left.
I approached the meat hesitantly. I was hungry, but I don't think I was hungry enough to eat raw meat. 'I am!' Frost said eagerly. 'I can take control of our body and eat it for you if you'd like.'
Sure, go ahead. As soon as I gave permission, Frost took over and I went back to the snowy mountains. Like before, I turned around and spotted the flat rock. Then I realized, Aldridge is a mind reader, he can sense my presence. Frost!
When I called her name, I got control over my body again. 'What is it?'
I think I came up with an idea to get us out of here! I did a little jump in snow leopard form. Not waiting for Frost to ask what it was, I continued quickly. If we can take down the mind wall, Aldridge will be able to sense us, leading him to me, and letting him read our mind so he knows that I'm Moss!
'Wow, good plan. One slight problem though.' Frost said after a moment of silence.
What?
'Well, I've been building that wall for a long while. All your life actually. It would be very hard to break, and we'd be very weak for about a day or two after we break it.'
I sighed mentally, I knew this would have a catch. Ok, but it's doable, right?
'Yes.' Frost answered reluctantly.
Then we have to do it. Do you want to stuck in here for any longer? I convinced her slowly but surely. I sure don't.
Frost agreed very reluctantly after a moment or two of considering. 'Ok, you win. Come back in your mind with me.'
I closed my eyes and willed myself back into the beautiful snowy mountains. This time, instead of mostly human Frost, I saw snow leopard Frost. "Now what?"
'The wall is behind you.' I spun around for the second time here, this time met by a giant wall of fur and feathers. 'We just have to take it apart.'
"Simple enough," I murmured to myself as I walked up to it with Frost by my side, padding along quietly. When I got there, I started banging the walls and tearing the feathers off. I was breaking at all. More feathers and fur came and blocked the way, patching up the wall.
After about an hour of digging and scraping, Frost stopped and said something that surprised me. 'Aren't you going to ask me what I meant when I said don't shift into other animals?'
"Well, I am now. What did you mean?" I replied also stopping and resting on the suddenly grassy ground.
'You see, I- I'm not just a snow leopard. I am a shifter, snow leopard is just my natural form.'
To say I was shocked was an understatement. It was shocking to find out that there is a snow leopard in your head and you could shift into her, but to find out that I could shift into many different animals... wow, just wow.
After stuttering different vowels for a couple minutes, I finally said, "Wait, so is shifter my element? Why isn't it recorded? Am I the first?"
'You're the first of your kind, yes, but your kind is a half breed.'
*Raven's POV*
The snow leopard pounced after I shouted, looking conflicted, like it didn't want to hurt me but something was making it hurt me. I screamed when it's claws pierced my skin, making beads of blood appear, dripping down and contrasting with the green mossy floor. Then it passed out. Just like that. I realized what it must have done. It must of killed Moss. But something had been in it's eyes that reminded me of Moss.
I shook my head. But that's crazy, it can't be Moss.
Soon, Aldridge, Reai, Lucy, Aspen, and Anne crashed through the bushes, gasping once they saw me and the snow leopard. Anne immediately rushed over to me, fussing worriedly, like a mother. She is a mother. Or is it was a mother? "Anne, step aside," A commanding, but still soft, female voice ordered. "She's fine, it's just light scratches. Now, Raven, what do remember? Did you see Moss?"
I shook my head vigorously, beginning to get over my shock on almost being a snack to a big cat. "No," I whispered shakily. "I- I just walked out of the bushes and- and that just came and p-pounced on me and scratched me and th- then passed out. Then you guys came."
"Alright," Raei's shoulders sagged down, disappointed. "Aldridge, get the cat over to the house, then we'll call the zoo and get the animal there."
Aldridge nodded faintly, picking up the large big cat and leaving the way they came, through the bushes. The rest of us exchanged sad and mournful glances, all thinking the same thing. Moss had been killed by that snow leopard.
*Moss's POV*
We scratched and scraped, dug and pulled, but we couldn't get it down. It just wouldn't come down. We were using up all our energy and it wasn't doing a thing. So I brainstormed ideas while resting as Frost continued to try and break the wall.
If we couldn't break the wall down, then what about simply escaping physically? The enclosure was meant to keep big cats inside, but not flying or climbing creatures. Frost, can we shift into a different animal? Like one that can fly?
Frost replied hesitantly. 'Well, I guess we could... It's not wise, but if it's the only option, then yes. Yes we can.'
Ok, so can we shift into a falcon? A peregrine falcon? They are the fastest bird alive, by the way. I asked, a plan growing in my head, developing and evolving. Because there is an open roof...
'Mossy, you're a genius!' Frost exclaimed excitedly, and I could hear her rapid digging stop. 'But it'll be hard, and difficult to control.'
We can do it. I said, determined. Nothing, nothing, would stop me from getting out of here and back to my friends. I could definitely see why Frost hates captivity now. It's horrible.
'Really, really, horrible.'
I chuckled, I can't disagree.
'Of course, I am a snow leopard, Mossy.'
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