The Changeling Read online

  “You ungrateful spoiled little animal,” Katie said.

  “Who are you calling little, cub?” Tam jibed. “You are the same age as I am.”

  “You are only thirteen,” Katie said.

  “I lied,” Tam replied. “I am fourteen, at least I was. Yesterday I made my fifteenth year.”

  “How would you know that living in a forest,” Katie asked, annoyed.

  “Because I got my spines, and they only come when we reach fifteen,” Tam said.

  “You have your spines?,” Katie said excited. “Let me see them.”

  “No,” Tam said. “I am going to start growing rapidly now, so none of your broken little pets will even think of fighting me. Already your little doggie at home is wary of me. There it a good reason. Fell beasts are the true kings of the jungle. One on one, not many things can kill a grown fell beast.”

  “But not many make it to adulthood,” Katie said triumphantly. “Most of them die while they are still young from other fell beasts. Males and females fight to the death, unless the female is ready to mate. And many other animals kill fell beasts. Wolves hunt in packs to overcome them and a lion can beat one.”

  “Only if we are young,” Tam said.

  “I know about you fell beasts,” Katie said. “Your body constantly adapts to things. It is why my magic is not as useful as it used to be. The more you get attacked with it the more your body will fix itself to nullify it. But if I wanted to kill you when I first met you I could have, just like a lion could kill you now.”

  “No it couldn’t” Tam said excited. “My coat now has plenty of spines that I can flare or shoot out if I want. And you and your men have stabbed and poked me many times. My skin and coat got tougher and tougher. Lions may be stronger, but their teeth will not get close enough to any damage because of my spines. And if it did, my coat and skin would minimize the damage while I used my big claws on it.”

  “Let me see your claws,” Katie said.

  “No,” Tam replied. “I told you I am not changing for you.”

  “Please Scratches,” Katie begged as the carriage stopped.

  “What is wrong with you?” Tam asked. “Forget I said anything. I don’t care.”

  “We are here,” Katie said. “Some of the girls here make fun of me.”

  “I don’t care,” Tam said as Katie looked down then stepped out of the carriage.

  Tam could see other humans talking. The majority had a changeling with them. Wolves were the most plentiful. Tam also saw a cheetah and a large fox. Katie walked passed some of them who called her over. Tam could tell by her body language she was being ridiculed by the girl with the fox. Tam listened in on their conversation and was surprised his torturer would take the insults being thrown her way.

  “Where is your changeling?” the red haired human with the fox said. “I thought you were going out hunting with your weak magic.”

  “She isn’t even smart enough to realize her place in life and take one of those outside or at least go to a proper breeder,” the blonde girl with the cheetah said. “Why are you even here with your weak magic? You give nobles and mages in general a bad name.”

  “Leave me alone,” Katie said angrily.

  “I think she might cry Victoria,” the blonde said laughing. “You want us to get you something to wipe your eyes with?”

  “Poor little Katie,” Victoria said as she pet her fox changeling. “Maybe I should just buy her a changeling so she won’t look so pathetic. What do you think Ashley?”

  “Leave me alone,” Katie said as she tried to move pass them.

  “You will stay put,” Ashley said. “I am a princess and I command you.”

  Tam could see a bigger group had formed of males and females and all of them had their broken ones with them. Tam hated what he was going to do as he took off his clothes in the carriage. Tam slid on the collar and broke through the carriage door snarling. His appearance made the others turn around as Tam roared as he walked over towards Katie. Many of the humans had put their changelings in front of them. A wolf leapt up snarling, but fell away with a good swipe on his neck. Tam's sharp, hard, claws rent the flesh easily. Tam took satisfaction knowing they would only get harder as he aged. He could hardly wait until in a few more years they would be able to slice through the metal the humans covered themselves with.

  The animals backed away and four or five fire spells hit Tam. Tam shook them off but could tell these spells were tougher than what Katie tossed at him. When lightning struck him is when he was tossed back violently and knew he wasn’t as invincible as he thought. Katie though, started lighting other changelings on fire. The other humans were shocked at her actions, but soon were yelling as Tam used the distraction to start tearing into the other changelings using his teeth and claws.

  “Stop Scratches!” Katie yelled as she yanked on his collar just as he was about to swipe a human male across the face.

  “This thing is yours?” the blond girl with the cheetah Ashley said.

  “Yes,” Katie said triumphantly. “I let you get out whatever you were going to say with your pathetic cheetah and that stupid fox. I have a fell beast and my magic is stronger than yours is now.”

  “It’s a fell beast!” one of the human males said as he snatched up his coyote changeling. “Stay back Gus, this thing is dangerous. It just shook off ten lightning spells and still looks ready to fight.”

  “You burned him!” cried a female Tam had seen laughing at Katie. She was trying to comfort a whimpering wolf as Tam broke free and was about to put the thing in more pain.

  “Stop” the wolf barked and put its tail between its legs. “I don’t want to fight.”

  “You need to teach your human to leave me alone,” Tam snarled.

  “Leave him alone,” another wolf barked as it came over to stand by the downed wolf.

  “You think I am scared of you doggies?” Tam said as more wolves came over to guard the fallen wolf. Tam could see that some of them were barely able to stand. He had bitten some of him and his poison caused rapid infection and sickness. He had once bitten a big bull moose then only had to track it for two days before it was too sick to move or fight back. If the changelings were strong their bodies could fight it off and the sickness would only last a week.

  “There are more of us than there is of you,” a big wolf growled as Tam took a step back then bent down like he was ready to pounce.

  “Scratches come here,” Katie said as she yanked at his collar.

  Tam let himself be taken away. There were at least twenty dogs there and they would be a hard fight for one juvenile fell beast. Katie dragged him inside of the building where he snapped at anyone close to him. Tam liked making the humans scared he decided. He only stopped when Katie pushed him into a big room. There was a bed and one of those pet beds he had seen the doggies back home sleep in. Tam sprinted to the bed and stretched himself out in it and laid down. Katie swore and tried to move him but he had dug in his claws and refused to budge. Eventually she got tired and sat in a chair as her luggage was brought to her. Tam was just about to drop off to sleep when Katie started speaking.

  “Thank you,” Katie said hesitantly.

  “It speaks,” Tam said, after rapidly changing back into a human. “Don’t get used to it. I am not your animal to yank around like paraded prey.”

  “You have to put on some clothes,” Katie said as she kept staring at him.

  “Why is that?” Tam asked.

  “Because I am not one of those people who sleep with their animals,” Katie said blushing.

  “I am not an animal and I wouldn’t sleep with you either. And I am not sleeping on that thing in the corner. You can sleep on it.”

  “I am not sleeping on that,” Katie said.

  “Well I am not giving up this. I saw it first and it is comfortable.”

  “I am only going to ask you to change when it is dark out,” Katie said. “You have classes you have to take here as well, and you have to be in huma
n form to do them. You will learn how to be part of a pack, how to hunt and bring back food for me and how to fight like a human and an animal.”

  “I am not going to whatever this is you are talking about,” Tam said.

  “It is the only place you will be fed. They also teach you how to be nice to your mage. They do it with food.”

  “So go to whatever this is or don’t eat?” Tam laughed. “I will just hunt.”

  “Hunt what? You saw all of those animals out there looking for a mage. They eat any little running around thing they can find. And you cannot go too far away from me. So now you are stuck. Go ahead and stay in this room if you want to I will not bring you any food or anything else.”

  “I hate you human,” Tam snarled.

  “So you have said. And they will only let you in if you have a collar. So if I were you I wouldn’t leave it anywhere.”

  Tam glared at Katie for a bit then went to sleep. His classes did not start for a few days. He chose to stay in his room. Katie had tried to get him to go out but wanted him to do so as a fell beast. Tam declined, but had started getting hungry. Tam couldn’t eat until classes started unless he was with her. Katie made sure to come home smelling like food. She tried to make it seem like she didn’t mind sleeping on the pet bed. The day before classes Tam had enough. His body was growing and craved food. Tam changed and grumpily was going to walk out the door as a chain leash was put on his collar. Tam tore into it and tried to break it but if was made good, only a few nicks and bends could be seen despite him trying to snap it.

  “Now you look like a proper beast,” Katie said. “I knew all your growing would make you hungry. Now come along. I am going to show you off and you will let whoever that wants to, pat you on your head without biting or snapping. If you do, I will walk away and you will stay hungry. Do you understand?”

  Tam said nothing but glared at Katie as she started stroking him behind his ear. It was a good spot to scratch and was difficult to get to as a fell beast, without shredding his ear. Tam stayed quiet and made his thoughts go dark as Katie was trying to get him to purr. He stood there until she got frustrated and walked out of the door. Katie tried rubbing him on his head and Tam just thought about the food. Katie walked all around the place with him. Many humans wanted to see a fell beast and rubbed his head and grabbed his snout. When they got to the dining hall finally, most of the food was gone. The woman behind the counter said that their shipment fell off the wagon outside the gates, where the free changelings had descended on it.

  Tam looked at Katie and she could tell he was angry. He got up and practically dragged her away as the woman tried offering her fruit or vegetable stew. When Tam got back to their room he yanked the chain out of Katie’s hand and started chewing on it. One day his teeth would be strong enough to chew through chain. Tam thought it as good of a time as any to start strengthening himself to the task.

  “Scratches, I didn’t know they'd run out of food,” Katie said. Tam ignored her. He stalked over to the pet bed and sat down gnawing on his chain.

  “You can get some food tomorrow at breakfast,” Katie said. Tam changed to human to take off the collar then back again to continue gnawing on the chain.

  “Well say something,” Katie said. “I know you think I walked you all around to embarrass you and never planned on feeding you. I can feel some of your emotions. Every time someone was nice to you it was like you had been stabbed or something from the emotions I was getting from you. I don’t know though what I felt from you when you heard there was no more meat.”

  Tam turned his back to her and kept biting his chain. Katie sighed and sat on the bed. She said nothing as Tam continued with his chain. Two people came by to see her and more importantly her changeling. Any who got close heard Tam snarl until they backed away. When they did, he kept eating his chain. The next morning Tam was supposed to go with Katie to the dining hall where they would eat and go to separate classes.

  Big speeches were given about some war and what the mages would be expected to do and what a great gift the changelings were being given to be a part of it all. Food was served and they had meat. Tam walked away from Katie as she tried to give him some. His stomach was rumbling loud enough for anyone within earshot to hear. Tam saw one of the wolves from earlier and surprised the animal by pouncing on its plate, taking its food, then jumping up to one of the rafters. People looked and pointed as Tam ate the meat then started jumping from rafter to rafter until he spotted an unaware changeling, dove straight down and took its food. It was the cheetah. The cheetah just backed away, which made Tam wary. The doggies tried to snap at him but were too slow. This cheetah just backed completely away which made Tam back away as well. Tam turned around and ran into a full grown lion. He could see instantly the lion was outweighed him by at least double. It was taller at the shoulder and was full grown. The small spines all over Tam’s coat bristled. As they stuck out, Tam extended his claws and got low to the ground. He was just about to leap as the lion spoke. The action caught Tam by surprise, his spines involuntarily went down and some of the tenseness left his body.

  “You are a wild one,” the lion roared.

  “I am not broken like the rest,” Tam said, straightening up. “I want to be free.”

  “What type of cat are you?” the lion asked.

  “What do you mean what type of cat am I? I am a fell beast.”

  “I was not wild born,” the lion said. “I was chosen to become a lion, one of only two in the kingdom.”

  “Well what do you want?” Tam snarled.

  “You need to learn your place here,” the Lion roared.

  “And you are going to teach it to me,” Tam demanded, as he prepared to pounce.

  “Not me,” the lion said as Tam could felt something coming up behind him.

  Whatever it was wrapped around him quickly, and did not give him a chance to put his spines up or claw it. Tam knew it was one of the great constrictors. This one had to be huge to challenge him. Tam could feel the life being crushed out of him. But he was able to get his mouth free and bit down hard. His teeth easily entered the snake but Tam couldn’t move his head to bite off a piece. Tam made sure to lick all around the area he had bitten then let go. He hoped to bite it again elsewhere to get another piece of the constrictor infected. If it was Tam’s time to die, he wanted to make sure this broken one would go with him.

  Tam had only guessed it was a broken one. He had never seen a snake changeling before. He was sure they did not exist in the great forest. But he had at least heard stories about some from Fang and his pack of wolves. Tam felt the darkness creeping in along with some of his bones snapping from the pressure. Just as everything went dark he was able to sink his teeth in the snake again.

  ~

  Tam awoke on the pet bed in a lot of pain. His ribs had been snapped. But Tam could tell not only were they trying to repair themselves, they would make themselves stronger as well. He considered that he was lucky to fight that thing and survive. He needed to test himself against it a few more times. He wanted these stronger bones and the muscles that would come with them. It would make him less susceptible to being crushed again.

  Tam thought the broken ones were stupid. They should have killed him. Instead they had let him live. He would get stronger and they would stay the same. Soon he would be too tough to kill and they wouldn’t have any answer for him. If he had his spines up they would have made the broken one impale itself. Next time he would keep them up whenever he was around an enemy, which was all the time. Tam lifted his head and pulled himself off the bed, there was meat around him which he smacked off to the side with his paw.

  “Scratches I was so worried,” Katie said. “I thought they had killed you.”

  “Why would you care?” Tam snapped as he changed into his human form. “You have done far worse. Only you can torture me? Is that what has you so upset?”

  “Tam they attacked you because of me,” Katie said. “I don’t want to see you hurt. I
never wanted to see you hurt. If you would have just bonded with me at the beginning like I asked you would have never been put through that horrible breaking.”

  “Well your false sympathy is not appreciated. “And you can take your food away from me. I would rather starve to death than take anything from you.”

  “You are still mad about yesterday.”

  “I am mad about all of it. And I will never forget any of it.”

  “Wild changelings are just more difficult. Especially since you never lived as a human before. Your kids will be a lot more agreeable.”

  “I am not biting someone for you. Why don’t you ask whatever that was that tried to crush me how it is feeling right now? Even with your magic that infection will keep coming back and my poison is like the rest of me. Whatever you use will keep being less and less effective.”

  “I am sure Slither is doing fine. After he finished with you he went back to his master and other than the places you bit him he didn’t look damaged.”

  “So you say.”

  “You should watch yourself around here, Scratches.

  “My name is not Scratches. My name is Tam. You know what? It doesn’t matter. Just one more thing to hate you for.”

  “Scratches is your name. I gave it to you and it was not done to be mean. Mages always name their changelings. And besides, you like to scratch a lot.”

  “Well then your name is now mittens. I have heard animals called that and that is what I will call you from now on.”

  “I am a human and I was already named.

  “And I was already named as well. I was named by others in the forest who taught me your ways, like how you speak.”

  “Tam is a simple peasant name. Scratches just sounds better.”

  “I don’t care what you think.

  “What were you feeling when the food I promised wasn’t given to you? I still haven’t figured out what it was.”

  “I was feeling ashamed of myself. Ashamed I had believed in a human who has done nothing but torture me. I haven’t felt that worthless since you made me take this stupid bond. But maybe it is for the best.”