Aurora

Ryan arrived after his shift, looking concerned but ready. "Aurora, what's going on?" he asked as he stepped into my home.

I motioned for him to sit down. "We've got a rogue shifter hunting the humans' cattle, and we can't let her keep doing that," I explained.

Ryan frowned, crossing his arms. "She must know that's risky. She's bound to draw attention."

"Maybe there's more to it than we think," I said, my brow furrowing in thought. "She could be injured or sick. Something must be driving her to take such chances."

"Only one way to find out," Ryan replied, his expression resolute.

I nodded in agreement. We headed to the dense forest behind my home, the familiar scent of pine and earth filling the air. I shifted into my silver wolf form, feeling the rush of energy as my senses sharpened. Ryan's transformation into his large brown grizzly was quick, and together, we began sniffing the ground, searching for the scent of the rogue shifter.

Ryan's bear nose was better suited for this task, and he picked up the scent first, signaling with a low grunt. I fell in behind him as we moved deeper into the forest, our movements quiet, save for the soft crunch of leaves under our paws and the occasional snap of a twig. The forest was thick here, shadows stretching long in the fading light.

Finally, I caught the scent—musky and feline. I took the lead, weaving through the trees until I spotted her: a mother cougar, her three kittens playing and tumbling in the clearing. My heart softened at the sight. So, that's why she was going after the cattle.

I signaled to Ryan to hold back, lowering my body to the ground. I inched closer, my tail low, and let out a soft yip to announce my presence. The cougar's head snapped up, and she immediately positioned herself protectively between her kittens and me, her fur bristling, ears pinned back, and a low growl rumbling in her throat.

I whined, crouching even lower, making myself as non-threatening as possible. She hesitated, pushing her kittens back behind her with her body. I crawled closer, belly almost brushing the ground, keeping my movements slow and deliberate. Her snarling quieted as she began to assess me, her golden eyes wary but curious.

I reached the edge of the clearing, and as she continued to study me, I let my eyes glow silver, a sign of recognition among shifters. Her eyes widened slightly, and she blinked, her own eyes flashing brown in response. Relief flooded through me—she recognized me as one of her own.

Just as I prepared to shift back to human form to speak with her, the night sky suddenly lit up with a fiery orange glow. A loud, roaring noise filled the air. I looked up and saw a massive, flaming object barreling toward us. Without thinking, I leapt over the cougar and her kittens, shielding them with my body as debris rained down around us.

She shot me a grateful look, and I growled softly, signaling her to take her kittens and run. She nodded, quickly gathering her young and disappearing into the shadows of the forest. I called out for Ryan, who was already rushing toward me, his bear form bounding through the underbrush. I motioned for him to ensure they got away safely.

But my instincts told me I couldn't ignore the crash. It was too close, and it could bring more danger to the shifter community. I hesitated only a moment before racing toward the site, my paws digging into the soft earth as I ran.

As I approached the crash, I shifted back to human form. Four figures emerged from the wreckage, and my breath caught in my throat. They were humanoid, but their blue skin glistened under the moonlight, their white hair almost luminescent. Each had distinct white markings on their skin that seemed to pulse with an inner light. They looked like something out of a legend.

One of them immediately drew my attention. He was taller than the others, his shoulders broad and strong, his violet eyes almost glowing with intensity. His hair was thick and fell to his shoulders in waves, framing a face that seemed both fierce and noble. He was speaking urgently to the others in a language I couldn't understand.

My anger flared again, remembering how their ship had nearly killed me and the mother cougar. Without a second thought, I marched up to them, fists clenched.

"How dare you!" I shouted, my voice shaking with fury. "You almost killed me, the mother, and her cubs—"

Roa'nen

I stood there, feeling stunned by the sight of this tiny, fierce creature storming toward me. Her words were incomprehensible—our translators were still damaged from the crash—but there was no mistaking her tone. She was angry, and I could sense her energy, vibrant and crackling like electricity in the air around her. My heart pounded, my mind racing with recognition.

Could she be my neityem skira? The one we were told about in the ancient texts—the Northern Sky? I had always thought it was a myth, a story to inspire hope among my people. But here she was, right before me, her brown skin contrasting with her stark white hair, her silver eyes blazing with intensity. Her face was sprinkled with dark freckles, like stars against the night.

Then, a sharp, agonizing pain shot through my inads. She had kicked me! I dropped to my knees, clutching myself in shock and pain. My team burst into laughter, their amusement echoing through the clearing. Wonderful. I'd never live this down.

Gritting my teeth, I pushed myself back up, trying to show her that we meant no harm. But she wasn't done. With a determined look, she threw another punch, catching me square in the jaw. Stars exploded in my vision, and I staggered back, more surprised than hurt. She was stronger than she looked.

Frustration began to bubble up inside me. I tried to hold back, knowing that one wrong move could escalate this situation further. But before I could respond, I heard a new sound—sirens, coming from the distance.

Her expression changed instantly, alarm flashing across her face. She glanced over her shoulder, then back at us. I could see the internal battle playing out in her eyes—leave us here to fend for ourselves or help us.

With a resigned sigh, she motioned for us to follow her. I glanced back at my team, who quickly gathered the broken pieces of our shuttle, and we hurried after her into the forest, our steps quick and cautious.