Therian Shifters

Chapter 24: Akira's Hero:

"What happened back there, Akira?" Tyler asked as the group walked to the forest area to lunch the next day. "Ian told me you went wild on Dylan and bit him and there was blood there too!"

Akira sat with the group as they all ate their share of meat. As they finished and chilled out by the trees for a bit, the bell had rung for Tutor. So the group got their bags and headed there. Ian had settled in with the group a bit more and so he found himself talking with them, laughing and joking along the way.

Akira didn't go with the group since she had her 1 to 1 with Mr Tolfree, so she headed the opposite way to the forest room. She happily strolled but made sure she was alert in case anyone or anything was to jump out at her. She made it to the door and came inside. Mr Tolfree was sat at the table where there was an empty chair for Akira opposite him. "Ah, Akira! Come on in!" Mr Tolfree said with a positive tone of voice as Akira sat down. But as she did, Mr Tolfree's tone changed from happy to slightly more serious. His stare was fierce, as Akira knew something was up. "Ian told me you lashed out at Dylan yesterday, and there was some bloodshed. Is this true? I want an honest answer."

Akira flashbacked to the previous day. She had given in to her wild instincts and bitten Dylan deeply. She nodded slightly as she looked down in shame. "I....I.." Akira was slightly speechless. "I-I couldn't control it, ok?! It was like my body gave in to my instincts and I just went for him!" Akira's eyes were wide with fear and regret, as flopped her face on the table with an ashamed, muffled groan.

Mr Tolfree sighed. He knew Akira couldn't control her instincts that well, but Dr Adeline was only there to help with the trauma. She wasn't a Therian Shifter herself, but she'd worked with them.

"Akira?" Mr Tolfree came a little closer to Akira as she was still putting her face onto the table. "I had a lot of struggle controlling my instincts too when I was your age. It's not easy. But what do you say that during these sessions and a little bit after school, I can help you control your instincts so you don't lash out as easy? It'll benefit your confidence as well."

Akira sat up and looked at Mr Tolfree with an intrigued expression. "Really? You'd do that for me?" He nodded as Akira smiled. "Thank you, sir!"

After the session, she had English. But as she was walking towards the English block, she was knocked out and dragged away by a hooded figure. As Akira came to her senses and jolted awake, she felt a strong breeze blew in her face. She was in an area in school she had never seen before. But as she stood up, she could see the tops of the trees. As she looked down, she gasped. She was on top of the computing block, which was the tallest building on the school grounds. She backed away quickly, but as she did, she backed into something. As she looked back, the hooded figure who took her stood towering over her head. Akira rotated swiftly to see that the hooded figure was none other than the boy who thrust her into the wall when she was standing up for Kody. She backed away further and further until she was at the very edge of the roof. She then slipped and hung on the edge of the roof for dear life.

She gripped strongly onto the edge but shook in panic. She shrieked in fright as a crowd started to gather, shocked expressions on every single person, pointed fingers at her direction as she hyperventilated from the danger and the number of people below. But as she looked up, she felt something on her left hand. The bully was using his foot to loosen her grip, as her left hand slipped and she gripped with her right as she strained all her strength into that one hand.

But as she saw the bully's foot aiming for her other hand, she stared at him. "You wouldn't. You wouldn't!" She shrieked. But as she did, it was too late. Her hand had slipped and the fast breeze hit her body as she fell.

She screamed in fright, thinking that her death was near, or a life-changing injury. But as she shut her eyes and started overthinking, she landed on something soft and passed out from the intensity of the event. As she went in and out of consciousness, she could hear the sound of panting and fast pawsteps and felt herself thud to the ground gently. A few minutes later, her eyes opened to see grey fur, steel-blue eyes and a black nose as she heard the sound of sniffing. "Kody, is that you?" Akira groaned. But as she jolted awake, she saw not Kody, but a grey wolf with blue eyes and white markings.

She panicked, backing slowly into a tree and the wolf was tall. His eyes glistened in the sunlight. She felt the wolf's warm breath on her face as she looked up. She had never seen a wolf this tall. She stood up in her form and then sat down, her bushy tail curling around her front paws as she looked down in shyness.

"Hey, are you ok?" The wolf spoke and Akira jumped back a bit in fright. "It's ok. I won't hurt you, it's fine."

Akira could hear the softness of his voice and stopped tensing. Her ears perked up slowly as she saw the wolf sit next to her.

"W-who are you?" Akira asked as she faced him.

The wolf was hesitant at first but smiled. "The name's Felix. And yours, liolf?"

Akira was still a bit wary around this wolf, but because he had saved her from certain death, she smiled calmly. "My name's Akira.  Thank you for saving me back there. I could've died!"

Felix laughed with a small chuckle. "And I am glad I did. See ya around, Akira!" He then ran out into the woods as Akira smiled in his direction.

Akira then came out of the woods with a small limp, as Tyler ran towards her in shock. "WHAT HAPPENED?!" He exclaimed.

"I'm not sure, but it happened so quickly." Akira replied with a confused expression.