"The enemy will always cheat, Isla, you need to be prepared for anything."
Isla and her siblings have lived in a cave for as long as they can remember with no memory of how they got there or who they were before. They only remembered two things...
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I hope I've not already used this photo! I've got more Spain photos that I'll use later but this was taken in Wales. I believe this was taken in Ogwen Valley!
"Tomorrow, we go on a hunting party." That is Oliver's suggestion.
"Oliver," his father starts. "Shadow is a large country, they could be anywhere."
"Think about it," he starts. "They probably had to see the city to attack it. We start by searching around the whole city in the forests. We are shifters for crying out loud and predators at that. Our animals are designed to hunt and track down their pray," Oliver snarls the last part.
"When do you plan on going?"
"As soon as possible, to stop the monsters from escaping."
"I also have a suggestion," Maryanne speaks.
"From now on," her voice is full of authority. There will be no arguing with her. "There will only be no more choice lessons at the academy. Combat lessons will stay as combat. Magic lessons will stay and magic. Shifter lessons will stay as shifter lessons only. No more mixture of those classes. One of the chosen classes shall be replaced with the combination of the three. The other chosen class shall be replaced with basic healing for the shifters without healing powers. Teaching them to stop bleeding and tend to wounded to keep them alive before the healers come." She talks about the lessons where we chose what to do, like music and mathematics. "The healing lesson will also include other needed skills like basic survival without powers." It is a good idea, but the parents don't seem to agree.
"Are you sure that is wise, the skill some shifters are learning is vital for our society," the High Queen explains.
"We won't have a society if our youngest generation, our next generation aren't learning the most vital skills for war. A war is coming," I say, no doubt in my voice. "It is a good idea and one that is going to be put in place this week." The High Queen goes to interrupt but Andrea speaks up.
"Listen to us," she says, standing up. "In four months time, we will be ruling. We will be the ones leading these people through war. As it will be us leading, through the most dangerous times, we will be leading in the preparations." There is no room for argument. "So as part of our preparation, all shifters are to attend classes to brush up on their magic and fighting skills," she tells us. "Some will have left the academy hundreds of years ago and not needed to use any of the skills they've learned since. In every town and every city, there are to be training sessions to be run. It is compulsory for ALL shifters to attend twice a week."
"How are you going to find enough shifters to be able to train that many?" The High Queen asks.
"There are plenty of experienced soldiers in all the cities that can train them, who all have the knowledge to teach," she says.
"I'm not sure, these people need to participate in activities that aren't to do with fighting and magic. Not every shifter are dragons, polar bears or sharks. Some are birds or mice who aren't strong and don't have massively strong powers," the High Queen argues.
"Just because a shifter is not a large predator like us, doesn't mean they should be left defenceless when the war comes. The King of NightShade does not care if a shifter is a dangerous lion or a harmless little butterfly. He will kill or enslave us all to get what he wants. I think you'll find, that after this attack, after thinking they were safe, more shifters would be happy to learn these vital skills in such dangerous times. Not only for their own survival but to protect their families," I tell her. "This attack was a bad move for the king. He killed shifter children and families who weren't doing anything but celebrate being alive and in peace. Now, all of Shadow will be more united than ever before to prevent this atrocity from happening again," I continue. There is silence as everyone thinks about my words. Then Daniel speaks up.
"They're right, mother," he begins. "You've all spent too long thinking that the war is coming that you can't recognise that it has already begun and it didn't begin today. It began seven years ago when the Dragons were slaughtered," he states as tears prickle in my eyes. "You all did nothing after that but cry, say inspirational words to the people of Shadow and promote peace. For seven years, the King of NightShade was allowed to regain his power and think of intricate plans to take these lands. We will not allow this to happen again. Now is not the time to think peacefully, it is time to act." His words are harsh but true. "You all want to preserve our reputation of shifters being peaceful creatures. No one is scared of us and our power. Right now, we're sat here talking instead of finding the monsters and punishing them. They are getting away as we speak." He looks over the room and all of us future rulers stand.
"The King has thought us weak for too long," Maryanne says. "But we are going to show our strength and what as a people we are prepared to do to ensure the protection of our country."
"And what is that?" the High Queen asks.
"We are going to hunt them down," Oliver starts. All five of us are on the same wavelength.
"Some we will tear to pieces," I say. "Rip them limb from limb," my voice is an angry snarl.
"Others, we will execute in front of all shifters."
"We've not executed anyone for..." The High Queen is interrupted again.
"Too long," Oliver says. "You've been too scared to enforce punishment, that they aren't afraid of committing the crime."
"We will execute them in front of all the shifters," Andrea says, her eyes darkening. "And we will send the screams of his people back to him along with the sound of shifters cheering as they die. That will send a message, that shifters are not fluffy little animals, but dangerous and angry."
"You can't turn their deaths into a show?" Oliver's dad says, disgusted.
"Why?!" Tanya shouts jumping forward, making us all jump. "That's what they did to us!" she screams looking at Serenity, Toryn and myself. "They laughed as they slaughtered my family. I remember it as we watched our mother die. As we watched the blood of our people splatter against the walls of my home. The place where we were supposed to be safe. They played with us as they killed us. They turned the slaughter of everyone we loved into a show for their joy and entertainment and you did nothing! You didn't even find us for seven years!" The room goes quiet. "We are leaving now, not tomorrow, to hunt them down. The time for peace talks are over, meaning your time is over." Their eyes widen with shock as all of us next generation rulers agree.
"It may still be four months until we are officially ruling the country, but our reign begins now. Shadow does not need your peace anymore. It needs us. We, who've grown up in a time of war, who have been a part of their evil first hand," Daniel says as he looks at me during that statement. "It needs rulers who aren't afraid to kill and put on a show."
"You can't do this," the High Queen whispers. Daniel ignores her.
"Isla, as queen of Zola and who was at the attack first hand will address all of Shadow and tell them of our plans. We speak in ten minutes. Don't try to stop us or you'll regret it."
