Devin's PoV -

     "Devin Trunswick get down here this instant, I have someone I want you to meet!" I could here my father yelling for me, I sighed and stood from where I sat reading a book in my room.

     With that I hurried down the stairs to meet my father in the dining room. Standing next to him was a tall man with short black hair and tan skin, he wore a blue cloak and a smug look. His eyes we scary and commanding but then again so were my father's. Father gestured for me to sit across from them, "Devin, this is Zerif, he has an amazing opportunity for you."

     "So I hear at your nectar ceremony you failed to summon a spirit animal, such a pity that your servant boy would summon a Great Beast and you would leave with nothing, don't you think?" Zerif cooed.

     "Err, I like Conor though, I mean I wish I had summoned an animal or a Great Beast for that matter but I'm not jealous of Conor," I replied awkwardly.

     "You know it's alright for you to be jealous, Conor, is so below you in social class, hell, he scarcely has the right to speak to you," Zerif smiled, "besides, you're the future Earl of Trunswick so shouldn't everyone be talking about you instead of that shepherd boy?"

     Perhaps Zerif was right, I thought back to why I thought I loved Conor. He had nothing to offer me and yet I had much to offer him, I hadn't worked him hard as a servant and I always treated him kindly. I even got myself into trouble multiple times just to protect him and his pathetic little secret, and what was my thanks, he summoned Briggan. If anyone was to summon a Great Beast it should have been me, then he ran away with the Greencloaks without so much as a glance in my direction. "Your right, Zerif, I do deserve better," I replied.

     "That is what I hoped you would say, I may not be able to give you a Great Beast but I can bond you to a legendary beast," Zerif slid a glass across the table, "Drink this and your destiny shale begin."

     I must have looked nervous because my father spoke up, "Go on son, make me proud."

     That was all I needed to here, I brought the cup to my lips and quickly gulped down the foul tasting liquid. I burst into a coughing fit after that and a bout of dizziness overtook me but both soon faded. Then Zerif stood and pulled a cloth off a crate that had been sitting on the other side of the room, I hadn't noticed it before. Inside the cage sat a large black panther. Zerif opened the cage and the cat trotted over to me and licked my hand, "She is your spirit animal now, Devin, you can control her unlike with the nectar, the bile is so much more powerful," Zerif spoke.

     I rubbed the cat's ears, I had decided to call her Elda, soon everyone would be talking about her and not Conor's wolf!

Conor's PoV -

Briggan and I showed up at camp early the next morning, my friends questioned me but I played it off as Briggan and I doing some night hunting. I told them about Briggan going into passive and about my dream of the boar. Tarik decided we should go to Eura after hearing that and he immediately wrote to Lenori for extra help. Having no better place in Eura to go we left for Trunswick later that day.

My mind was on Devin. The whole trip from Amaya to Eura I pretty much stayed in my cabin of the Tellun's Pride thinking of Devin, my boyfriend. Our next destination was Trunswick, my hometown, I knew I would see Devin there and hopefully my family, admittedly I was excited to go back home! We needed to find the Iron Boar before the Conquerors found it.

     A day or two later the boat docked just outside of Trunswick, I released Briggan from passive, Abeke and Meilin did the same for Uraza and Jhi, Briggan ran around happily and howled. "Are you happy to be home too, boy?" I rubbed the wolf's ears and Briggan whined a response.

     Carrying our supplies with us we headed for town. The first thing I noticed as we entered the gates of Trunswick was the overall atmosphere of the town. The people seemed depressed and always in a hurry. I was worried and wondered what could have happened. The next thing I noticed was the banners that once held the proud wolf of Briggan now showed the image of a black wild cat, a legendary Euran hero. Next and most importantly I noticed a certain blue eyed boy with brown hair, Devin Trunswick, my boyfriend. "Devin!" I shouted and ran up to him, I wrapped the boy in a hug and planted a kiss on his lips, "I missed you so much!"

     I was crying in happiness but my joy soon faded. Devin was stiff and didn't share my hug or kiss. That was when I noticed the black panther next to him, staring at me with cold yellow eyes and snarling. "Conor, we're through," Devin stated rather coldly.

     I began to cry again but not out of joy this time. "What, you're breaking up with me, I thought you would be happy to see me," I sobbed.

     "Things have changed and I must change with them or be left in the dust, I would advise you to do the same," Devin practically growled, "This is Elda my spirit animal, you will certainly be seeing more of her, Trunswick no longer worships Briggan, Trunswick now worships the mighty black wildcat," with that Devin walked away without so much of a glance back at me.

     Meilin, Rollan, and Abeke all rushed over to me. Abeke for some reason carried a small black cat, "Conor, are you okay, why are you crying?" Abeke questioned.

     "My boyfriend just broke up with me," I sobbed into my hands.

     I didn't want to see the surprise on their faces. "That's his problem then, he doesn't know what he's missing out on," Rollan patted my back trying to comfort me.

"Let's go find your family, they'll make you happier," Meilin suggested and together we all made our way to my family's home on the outskirts of Trunswick.

I tried to dry my tears but somehow couldn't manage. After a half a days walk we were standing in front of my house. I knocked on the door and moments later my youngest brother opened it with a cute 'hello'. After recognizing me he jumped on me shouting "Conor, I missed you!"

Meilin was right, I couldn't help but smile. The rest of my family rushed to the door, they all looked very happy to see me but I couldn't help but notice how stressed my parents and older siblings looked. They all enveloped me into a group hug. After the reunion I introduced them to Rollan, Abeke, Meilin, and Tarik. My family let us all spend the night there.

     While my friends were all asleep I stayed up to visit with my family. I sat on the sofa next to my eldest brother with Briggan curled up on the floor in front of me. I decided it was time I told them about Devin and his breaking up with me. I burst out crying again and my family comforted me. They told me about the changes to Trunswick which was one of many things stressing my family out. "I was delivering a shipment of wool to the Trunswicks, there was a guest there that didn't look to be from around here, he wore a blue cloak," my dad explained, "Immediately after Trunswick started to change and Devin summoned his black wildcat, I think that visitor was up to something but I don't know what."

     I listened carefully, somehow I knew this had to do with our mission and it for sure had to do with Devin who I couldn't help but care about. It was getting late and close to midnight so everyone went to bed. Mom stoped me before I could get to sleep, "Conor have you told your friends about... you know," she ruffled my hair so my sheep ears showed.

     "No, not yet, I'm scared to," I stated and hugged my mom, "What if they think I'm weak because of it?"

     "They know your not weak, son, I think you need to tell them," Mom kissed my forehead, that was all she said and I trailed off to where I would sleep in the same room as my brothers.

     It was about 3 in the morning when I heard the sound of small rocks thrown at my window. I awoke and stood, my hooves digging into the fluffy bed, I hoped down and jumped on a desk so I could see out the window. I was thrown off a moment when I thought the boy outside my window was Devin but sadly it was his younger brother Dawson instead. I pushed the window open as much as I could using my hooves. After I got it open enough Dawson helped the rest of the way and gently picked me up. Once outside he sat me down on the grass, I looked up at him expectantly since I couldn't very well talk. "Conor, I need to talk to you about Devin... you already know he has changed in some ways," Dawson leaned against the house and I sat next to him, "Firstly, Devin still loves you, I eavesdropped by his door earlier and I could hear him sobbing on the other side, every once in awhile he would mumbled your name and say he was sorry."

     I couldn't help but be happy over this news but it didn't help the fact he broke up with me. I bahed what I hoped Dawson would take as thank you. "Secondly, there is a reason Devin broke up with you, he didn't want to but father made him, it all started after a man named Zerif forced a bond between Devin and a black wildcat with something called the bile," Dawson continued, "Devin joined a group called the Conquerors and now Trunswick is a safe haven for Conquerors and is dangerous for Greencloaks, I'm just saying you and your friends need to be careful, hopefully this helped."

     I bahed and rubbed my head against Dawson's arm as a thank you. He lifted me back into my house and shut the window. I curled back into my bed, happy that Devin still loved me.

     Bright sunlight woke me and I crawled out of bed and quickly got ready for the day. Remembering what Dawson told me last night I went to wake my friends and tell them Dawson's news. I wasn't ready to tell them about my secret yet but I would someday soon. We all agreed we were putting my family in danger by staying here longer and we went to thank them before we left. The moment we were about to leave there was a knock at the door and we all went and hid while my father opened the door and the rest of my family stood nearby. I watched from my hiding place in the closet. At the door was two boys in brown cloaks, my heart twisted when I recognized Devin, the other was a tall Nilonian boy, my father greeted them as warmly as possible. The Nilonian spoke first, "Don't even bother pretending, we know your hiding Greencloaks here, including your son," I thought I saw a slight nervous twitch from Devin at the mention of me but I couldn't be for sure.

"You're mistaken, there are no Greencloaks here," my father spoke in a strong voice.

I flinched as Devin thrust a sword to my father's neck, "Don't lie," Devin practically hissed.

"Conor, you can come out of the closet now," Devin chuckled a little at his horrible pun.

I checked to make sure I still had my axe and I crept out of the closet, "Your one to speak," I growled.

The rest of my friends crept out from their hiding places and stood next to me. Devin removed the sword from my father's neck and walked inside rather rudely. My ex boyfriend stood in front of us, "You're all coming with me, or else," Devin cooed and Elda growled.

We followed in silence except Tarik who in classic Tarik fashion had to thank my family for their hospitality on the way out. At least my family was safe, for now. Outside there were even more Conquerors. Tarik gave us all a knowing glance which we returned, it was settled, we would have to fight our way free. Tarik started first and thrust a spear at an older Conqueror with a zebra spirit animal. The rest of us followed suit, the only thing racing in my mind was please don't let me fight Devin.

On my left Rollan faced off against the tall Nilonian Conqueror who had knocked on my family's door with Devin. Somehow the two boys seemed to be going easy on each other though Rollan wasn't the best fighter. The Nilonian's weird looking bird faced off against Essix. I caught a glimpse of Abeke trying to aim at a crocodile from her place on top of my family's roof. Uraza leaped onto a Conqueror's tiger. On my right Meilin slashed at a Zhonges Conqueror with a monkey spirit animal. Jhi was sitting on a raccoon. Meanwhile I battled against a taller blond Sterolian boy with a wolverine spirit animal. An arrow just missed my head and apparently missed the blond I was battling too, I looked back to see Abeke mouthing "sorry" to me. The wolverine took my moments hesitation and landed a blow which nocked me to the ground a few feet away. Unfortunately this landed me right in front of Devin. I tried to scramble away but Devin had already seen me, his eyes glowed a intense yellow-green color and he landed a slash to my chest. His cat prepared to pounce at me and was knocked away mid jump by Briggan. The black wildcat had pinned Briggan and pounced on me again successfully ripping a chunk of flesh from my arm, Briggan scrambled to his feet in a rush to help but was sidetracked by the wolverine. Devin stood over me and held his sword to my chest while his cat stood drooling over me waiting for Devin's command to finish me off. I waited too, knowing I couldn't fight Devin. I looked around for backup but found none.

I heard Rollan yelling something to Tarik about a snake, neither of them could help me. A white haired Greencloak had joined our fight and seemed to be helping Rollan but was too far away to hear me if I called out. Abeke and Meilin seemed to have vanished altogether along with their spirit animals. I was on my own. I meet Devin's gaze, his eyes were blue now and they seemed to be gazing at me with love and sympathy. My heart melted for him once again. I just wanted to kiss him and sit in his lap like I use to but moments later his eyes changed to the creepy yellow-green color and he no longer looked at me with loving eyes. His cat leaped at me shoving me fully to the ground. Her claws dug into my shoulders and her teeth were inches from my neck. Then a flash of brown, grey, and blue pushed the mighty cat off me. I expected to find Briggan battling the cat but instead Devin was crumpled on the ground next to a very confused looking Elda. Devin held his head as if in pain and he gazed at me with eyes that changed from a loving blue to a creepy yellow-green, "Conor, run, please!" Devin cried out.

I hurried to my feet and ran as far away from Devin as I could. The battle was breaking up. I found Rollan and the white haired Greencloak hiding behind a nearby house. I rushed over to them making sure no Conqueror saw me. The rest of the Conquerors had apparently left to look for Abeke and Meilin. Rollan was crouched over a very ill looking Tarik. The Amayan boy was almost in tears. The white haired Greencloak was lovingly rubbing Tarik's arm. "Conor, I found Tarik's boyfriend, this is Finn," Rollan tried to sound happy.

"We need to get Tarik to someplace safe," Finn sated as he took his boyfriend into his arms.

"F-finn, I'm f-fine," Tarik mumbled.

"Tarik, your obviously not fine, let me help you," Finn sated worriedly and pressed a quick kiss to Tarik's lips.

Finn hurried away with Tarik, now asleep in his arms, "I know a Greencloak who lives around here, she will be glad to help Tarik," Finn stated rather hurriedly as the four of us snuck behind buildings, hiding from Conquerors.

Finally, we made it to the Greencloak's home and she immediately started giving Tarik medicine. Tarik was awake now and told us to go find Abeke and Meilin. Finn wanted to stay with Tarik but Tarik wouldn't allow that and told his boyfriend to look after us. We promised we would be safe and told Tarik to get well fast. As we left the Greencloak's home some Conquerors jumped us. Rollan and I were in the thick of battle but Finn managed to escape though he needed our encouragement that the girls needed his help more than us and that Rollan and I could handle ourselves. Of course this wasn't true and the moment Finn hurried away to look for Meilin and Abeke we were carried off to the howling house. I was forced to call Briggan into passive and Rollan simply stood there looking awkward when asked to call Essix in. Regardless we were in trouble.

     The howling house was a dark and damp prison where the worst or the worst were kept. Currently Rollan and I were locked in a cell together and I was wondering if we were still locked in here at midnight how I would explain my appearance to Rollan. Well I guess I would just bah at him. I sighed and slid down the wall till I was sitting on the floor. Briggan laid next to me with his head on my knees. A rat scampered by and he barked at it. Rollan sat across from me looking just as discouraged and sad. "You're worried about Tarik aren't you," I tried to make conversation.

     "Of course I am, aren't you!" Rollan snapped back, I told myself that was only because he was stressed.

     "Yeah, I am but it just seems like you and Tarik have a special bond," I shrugged.

     "You're right, he's kinda like the father I never had..." Rollan looked away as if he were about to cry, I scooted over till I sat next to him.

     I gently patted the boy's back. "Sorry for snapping at you, I'm just worried," Rollan glanced up at me.

     "No worries," I smiled back to him.

     "What about you, you don't get close to anyone, well I mean you're friends with us all but I still feel like I don't really know you," Rollan tried to explain, I guess this was my chance to explain the real me.

     "You ready for a story?" I asked.

     Rollan glanced around, "Nothing else to do, I got time," he half chuckled.

     I sighed, "Firstly, promise you won't be scared of me."

     "Conor, you are scaring me now but I'm sure whatever you have to say won't be scary at all, just look at you, you're like the most inocente thing ever," Rollan smiled.

     With that I took his hand in mine and placed it on my sheep ear. Rollan oddly petted it for a minute and a moment later after realizing what it was jerked his hand away. Tears threatened to fall from my eyes but I held it back and just awkwardly looked away. Rollan seemed to notice, "Conor, I'm sorry... I didn't mean it like that, I was just scared, not everyone has sheep ears you know," Rollan stated and I could here the blush on his voice, I felt him gently running his fingers through my hair.

     My heart speed up and I silently cursed myself. If Devin still loved me then this wasn't right. I wished I could punch myself in the face when I bahed in joy as Rollan found a sweet spot of mine. Rollan chucked a little and I felt him nibble my ear. I quickly scooted away, I had to be faithful to Devin, after all he saved my life only a few hours before. I mumbled, "I'm sorry, I just can't."

     Rollan sighed without saying anything and laid his head against the wall. We sat in awkward silence for hours till by the looks of the moon in the sky I saw it was almost midnight. "Rollan, there's something else I need to tell you, at midnight I turn into a lamb," I stared at the boy in front of me, my heart speed up again though I tried to fight it.

     "Oh," Rollan mumbled.

     "Rollan, please, your silence is killing me!" I begged, "You have to understand, I still love Devin..."

     "Yeah, I can tell that," Rollan crossed his arms and finally looked at me.

     "But I love you too," I mumbled, I half wished I hadn't said that.

     "Obviously not enough," Rollan growled.

    I was crying now, what did Rollan want from me. "Do you expect me to abandon my feelings for Devin simply because you just started to show an interest in me!" I blurted out.

     Rollan jumped to his feet in anger, "Whatever sheepboy believe what you want, its not like I thought you were cute the moment I seen you or anything, totally not like I admire your silent courage, not like I wished you could have shared your secret with me before, and totally not like I was happy when Devin broke up with you because I finally got my chance, yeah, forget about all that and try for the guy who f***ing dumped you to get a spirit animal, I'm going to sleep," Rollan growled and stormed off to one of the cots.

     I watched in shock as the boy curled up with a measly cover, his back to me. I sobbed, tears were rolling down my face. There was a series of twelve bell tolls from the church's tower. A moment later pain and dizziness coursed through me. I jumped onto my own cot and tried to go to sleep. It was hard to sleep with a heart ache.

     As always I awoke to the morning light and I was back to my human self. Rollan sat on the floor again staring at nothing in particular. I was half scared of him and yet every time I looked at him my heart raced and heat flooded my body. I sighed and laid back down on my bed not wanting to go anywhere near Rollan. "Do you guys need any help?" this was the voice of Abeke as she rushed up to our prison door.

     Meilin dangled some keys from her pointer finger kinda rudely and Abeke snatched them away and unlocked us. "Thanks guys, the farther I can get from that one the better," Rollan glared at me and I sighed and followed.

     "What happened to you guys?" Abeke asked.

     "Long story," I sighed, Abeke cast me a worried glance.

     Finn led us out of the howling house. "Finn, what's your spirit animal?" I asked wanting to break the tension.

     "I'd rather not say," Finn replied awkwardly and I didn't push it any farther.

     After a quick discussion which consisted of Meilin arguing with Abeke, Rollan's silent treatment, Finn's advice, and my own awkward smiles we decided that Glengavin would be our next place to visit. Finn told us that rumor was that Rumfuss the Boar lived in a garden there. We left Tarik in the kind hands of the elderly Greencloak and continued on our journey.

Glengavin was a days walk from Trunswick and we had to be extra careful because Conquerors were everywhere. We crept through the brush when possible or tried to disguise ourselves in the foot traffic. Finally, we made it to Glengavin.

     We hurried to Lord MacDonnell's manor and Finn introduced ourselves. MacDonnell gave us a feast and allowed us to spend the night in his manor. He seemed nice enough but there was still something off about that Lord. I tried to play chess but failed badly, probably because I don't know how to play chess. MacDonnell seemed to really like Briggan but then again so did pretty much every Euran. Yet, everyone seemed to be tense and uncomfortable around MacDonnell. He kept saying, "My castle my law."

     I understood what this meant when Essix got her wing caught on the highest floor. A harp player saved Essix but was punished by Lord MacDonnell and forced to break her harp. I felt bad for the poor girl, I didn't think she did anything wrong. Later that evening MacDonnell was talking to us all. Rollan asked him about his spirit animal and MacDonnell informed that his animal was a hare but he had been rude to it and it had ran away. He missed his animal and regretted treating it so bad, I seen Meilin flinch slightly as he told his story. Then Finn asked what we had all wanted to know, "MacDonnell, we are here to look for the Iron Boar talisman and wish to search your gardens for Rumfuss, may we have your permission to search?"

     MacDonnell seemed angered by this question but like any good noble, hid his feelings. "No, you may not, I am sorry," the Lord replied quickly.

     "Surly there is something we could do in exchange for searching your gardens," I tried to bargain.

     "Hmmm, there is one thing," MacDonnell continued, "If you can find my hare and bring him back to me I will allow you to search my garden."

     The five of us agreed and since it was late and we had come to an agreement we decided to go to bed. Just then my mother's words flooded back to me and I knew the time to tell my friends the truth about me had came. Lord MacDonnell left us to ourselves and as my friends stood to go to their rooms I stared, "There is something important I need to tell you guys about, can we talk?" I asked with a nervous smile.

My friends all sat again and nodded. They turned their attention to me. I sighed, "I need you to see something," with that I ran my fingers through my hair, messing it up so my lamb ears showed.

Everyone except Rollan gasped. Rollan just sat there with disappointed eyes and I felt the urge to cry again. "Are you part sheep?" Abeke asked.

"Yeah, I have sheep ears, wool, and a tail," I sighed, "that's not all either, at midnight I turn into a lamb and by morning I'm back to my normal form."

"No wonder you sneak off every night," Meilin stated.

I nodded, "Briggan help keep me safe," I smoothed the wolf's fur.

My friends asked a few more questions and I answered them. I was surprised this had went so well, I expected them to be angry with me. After some time of talking together and explaining my long story of how I got this way we all left to go to our rooms for the night.