Once we left the tunnel room Hung escorted me outside. Hung was about to open the door but l got in front of him.

"Ladies first," l said as l strutted forward.

Hung scoffed. He placed a leg before me. I tripped over it and l staggered forward before falling on the asphalt. I cushioned the fall with my arms.

"Ouch! HEY!!! What gives? You tripped me," l said.

"Sorry, girl Hung is always first," he said. As he strutted, like a bejewelled peacock, onto the green fields an arrow whizzed past his head shearing an obsidian strand and narrowly missing his eye. He froze in fright. I gasped and rushed in. I searched for danger and l saw a man with rich, dark skin and long thick sooty hair. He had a meagrely placed 'stache lining his upper lip. He flinched when l began glaring at him.

What was his deal? Was he trying to murder someone?

He galloped towards us.

"My apologies, Hung. I did not mean to shoot at you," he said.

The Indian man ran his fingers through his thick mane.

"That's cool," Hung rasped.

His lips had gone white and his eyes became large like light bulbs.

"Oh no," the man spoke.

"What's wrong?" l said.

"Hung is in shock," he touched him-Hung.

Hung was still silent, pale-faced and his mouth was bone-coloured.

"I have to take him to the infirmary," he said.

He took his arm and pulled him away.

"Come with. Were you two searching for anything in particular?" he said.

"Yeah, Hung was taking me to see you. He said you could explain shape shifters to me?" I said.

"It would be my pleasure. As soon as we get him treated," he said. Patting Hung's back.

Hung stared into the distance; his breathing was shallow. He did not jerk when the nurse inserted the catheter in his vein. She attached the needle to the fluids onto the drip-stand. She tapped the catheter and the liquids began flowing.

"I'll just give him some fluids and we'll see if it improves his colour," she said smiling. She dawdled into the store room and left Sagar, Hung and l to speak privately.

"I feel horrid about our introduction," Sagar said sheepishly.

He had told me his name as we rushed Hung into the First Aid room, to receive treatment.

"It's okay. It's a pleasure to meet you," l said.

He smiled anxiously.

"What did you need me to explain to you?"

"Oh, nothing. Hung thought it would be a good idea for you to explain shape shifters to me."

He nodded.

"I see...Are you new to the Academy?"

"Yes, l joined three months ago. But hunting monsters is a family tradition," l said with a giggle.

He nodded.

"It is for most of us.... I don't think there is one student that isn't at least a second- generation hunter. My ancestors who first arrived in America helped found this Academy."

"Oh, so you're a home-grown American?"

He laughed.

"So he thinks you need more clarity on them. I think shape shifters are the most important creatures you will ever learn about."

He checked Hung's IV and it was half-empty. Hung's fair skin had lost the snowy pallor and was darker in complexion. Blood coloured his cheeks once more.

"He's looking better," he said. Sagar withdrew his hands from the IV bag.

"Tell me what you know about them so far, so l can get the scope of what you understand," he said as he leaned against the steel table.

"Uhmmm...let me see... shape shifters are born human. The shape shifting trait is passed on genetically. Shape shifters are volatile?"

I paused. Sagar nodded for me to continue, but had no clue how to continue.

"there are a variety of shape shifters."

"What is a shape shifter? Name a few, five you can..."

"Uhhh...um. Okay, a shape shifter is a humanoid creature which has the ability to change into an animal at will. They do not require a full moon to do so like werewolves," l said.

"There wolf shape shifters and they are often confused for lycans. There are also cat shape shifters, such as a tiger, a jaguar and a domestic housecat."

He nodded in conformation.

"You gave me two so far," he said.

I tilted my head. Only?

"Uhmmm...beserkers?"

"Yes, what are they?"

"They are bear shape shifters," l said.

He smiled.

"Three so far-but you seem to have a solid foundation."

"There are other lesser known shifters such as the coyote, the fox-shifter-which we usually call the fox-spirit- because it is known internationally by many different names. As well as the dog shifter, the seal shifter, the lynx shifter and the wolverine shifter," l said.

He smiled.

"You seem to know a lot already. You named four more than l asked from you," he said.

"I'm sure you have your own questions, no?"

"Yes," l nodded.

I leaned against the cupboard behind me.

"What do hunters do to shape shifters?" I said.

He looked taken aback by my question. Why is he so surprised?

"Why did you ask me that?"

I almost laughed.

"Are you not going to respond?" I said.

He shook his head and he twanged his bow like a well-tuned violin.

"No, no l will answer you. I'm just flabbergasted by the question," he said.

He gazed at Hung's IV, which was a third full, and crossed his arms. His sinewy, brown muscles waved. Hung blinked his greasy eyes swirled before faintly glowing, as his lips curled into a diminutive smile. He was slowly recovering from the mild shock he had received.

"Well, hunters here at the Academy capture the shape shifter first. Then we test if the creature has humanity. If the test is positive we inform the superiors-Ms. Martin and Mr. Collins. They then conduct everyday scenarios which normal humans undergo each day. If they pass they are re-integrated into society with the confidence that they are not hazards to our society," he said.

"Wait...an...and if they fail?"

Sagar looked away.

"Sagar, come on! What happens if they fail?"

He sighed and bit his lip. I watched Hung remove the catheter and l felt nauseous. Sagar's teeth released his berry lips before he rubbed his square jaw.

"They are euthanized. We cannot risk putting threats into society," he said

I was not shocked but hearing it spoken out loud was difficult to assimilate. I swallowed back my tears. It meant that the Marbled Kitsune would die...l felt it was cruel to kill such a kind soul. He was more than a monster; l could see that every time l gazed into his eyes. I sighed. Even, that aggressive cat shifter would die, without being given the benefit of the doubt. Sagar frowned.

"Are you crying?" Hung said.

I glared at him. He thought it was strange.

"No...l'm not!"

I sniffled and wiped away my tears.

Sagar peered at Hung.

"No, Ms Martin is not crying. What reason would she have to?" Hung smirked.

"She has an admirer," he laughed.

"Hung! SHUT. UP." I urged.

I flitted towards him and smacked his arm.

"Shut up you fool!" I shouted.

Hung caught my hands and imprisoned them in his massive, daisy-white coloured hands. He smiled at me. I attempted to break free; in vain he would not let me go. He chortled.

"Oh...really? Is he tall?"Sagar caught Hung's mood and began to tease me as well.

Hung shook his head.

"He's really short and hairy," he said.

I tried to hit him, but my hand barely moved in his.

Sagar scratched his head.

"Uhhh...who is that?''

"It's someone with a fluffy, marbled blue coat and a bushy tail," he chortled.

Sagar stiffened.

"What's wrong?" Hung said.

"Is it one of our foxes? The k..k..itsune has shown interest in you?"

I got out of Hung's grip.

"Don't listen to him, he's being a moron."

Hung guffawed but he soon stopped when he realised Sagar was not laughing.

"Why aren't you laughing? This is hilarious," Hung said.

Sagar's penny eyes slitted, so that he was transformed into an agitated brown viper.

"HUNG!"

The remainder of his sentence was a slur of words that l could not understand.

"You think this is funny? This is a serious matter entirely. This could be a fatal..."

"Attraction," said Hung.

"A forbidden love story of a rogue huntress and her fox lover."

Hung spoke theatrically which earned a glower from Sagar and l.

"Are you finished?"Sagar said.

Hung kept quiet as Sagar paced around him.

"Sagar, why are you concerned? The fox l met is so friendly. He looks like he'd never harm anyone..."

"Don't be lulled into a false sense of security...Kitsunes are not all that they seem to be."

He continued to march around us.

"Wait...does it have beady brown eyes and a white feathered chest?"

"Yes," Hung and l replied simultaneously.

Sagar's shoulders sagged and he smiled in relief.

"Oh, Hung must be referring to fox S-620; he tested positively for humanity. That's rare in Kitsunes. I'm glad he likes you....he needs company."

My cheeks flamed. I shuffled my feet.

"Why does it have a code?"

"We need that to be able to identify him from the other fox spirits," Sagar said.

"WHAT!?! There's more of him?"

Hung whispered that it did not please him when he first heard of it as well.

Sagar laughed.

"Did you assume we had one Kitsune? We hold many in this area."

"YEEEaaah. But it's only because l only saw one," l said.

It dawned on me they collected the creatures regularly.

"So there are many fox spirits in Maybelle?"

"Not just the fox spirits, there are as many shape shifters in Maybelle as the people. And there are shape shifters numbering in the millions in America," he said.

My eyes were three times their original size.

"Wow! Is that why there are many folktales about them," l said.

Hung laughed at my question and l kicked his heel. His face became clenched and it surged with flamboyant shades of blush, cherry and peach.

"Hung, why aren't you laughing? It is hilarious!" I mimicked his previous words to me, to mock him.

Sagar held my shoulder and urged us to quit our quarrelling. I begrudgingly accepted his desires and Hung laughed again, only this time sourly.

"Yes, that's exactly why." Sagar said.

He removed his hand.

"You know? It's a very good thing you met S-620...I'm glad you did and befriended him. He's displaying more human qualities by showing an interest in you," he said.

My cheeks became a gaudy apple shade, which rivalled Hung's own brightly coloured cheeks. We shared a glance and we kept mum. There was a sort of unity shared in our embarrassment. Sagar was visibly amused.

"Would you be interested in rehabilitating and training shape shifters?"

I smiled in excitement.

"Of course," l said.

Hung scoffed.

"Don't get too excited. She might scare them off."

I slapped him. Sagar flashed us a smile of his own.

"We'll see Hung."