Panther's Teeth

Damon, Molly and Sophia must have been waiting, or looking for me a while, because when I got home, I saw them all lounging on the couch, looking worried.  My mom was in the kitchen making chocolate chip cookies and hot coco for them.  They all turned when I came through the front door, wrapping me in a bear hug.  Damon just stood by watching.  My mom brought the snacks out into the living room.  “Amber, your friends have been here for about 20 minutes, waiting for you.  Where on earth have you been?” my mom’s voice sounded concerned. 

“Oh, just out for a walk.  I wanted some fresh air alone to think to myself, especial sense school is all stuffy, and crammed with people all sitting forever, listen to the teacher drone on.” After she got an answer from me, she left, leaving us to talk in peace. “Sorry for leaving you all in the dust back there, but this one time thing, can’t hurt, and look, no scratches, or bruises, I’m not hurt at all.” Nobody’s face changed.

“We told you over and ov…” Damon started but was cut off, when Mathew tackled him, jumping out from behind the couch.  Everyone had to laugh, even Damon’s face of twisted confusion, and a bit of anger changed into a wide grin.  He started to play rough, tousling Mathew around, laughing all the time.  Thanks to my little brother, I didn’t have to listen to any awful yakiti-yak-yak that they have to give me this time.  I can’t stand being told what to do, teachers and parents are okay, because they have higher respect, but anybody other than that I usually ignore, or end up telling them what to do. 

Holding back some of my laughing to say, “Come on Mathew you can win him, don’t let him pin you down like that!”  Both Sophia and Molly started cheering, for both to win, and who ever got more applause would start working harder.  It was fun to see, everyone having a blast.  When my mom walked in again, everyone fell quiet.  Shoeing us outside we continued a bit, before taking a walk, us three girls up front, and the two boys talking behind us.  We found ourselves at the edge of the forest, and before we could keep walking, Mathew sprinted into the darkness, yelling “Race you to the rickety bridge at Blue Bird Stream.” Then he was gone!

I panicked, him being my brother and the evil thing IT still hiding out there.  I told everyone to stay put as I rushed into the brush after him.  Once out of site of the road, I changed into a panther, running has hard as I could the most likely route he would take.  A heard footsteps behind me, and turned to see, a big black wolf next to me.  I started to turn and continue on my way, as I saw, the wolf, changed into Damon.  “I didn’t know you could shape-shift too.”

“I realized I could, but only into the wolf, but that means I have more restrictions, like harder time crossing running water, and stuff.  Let’s find your brother, together!”  And he went off, with me slightly in front.  When I reached the small foot bridge at Blue Bird Stream, I didn’t see any sign of Mathew, and he should have been there waiting, if he was running the whole way.  I started to panic again, flying up into a human sized Golden Eagle (in which I didn’t know I could do), I grabbed Damon with the claws and went up, looking.  After doing a 20 foot radius search, I went back to Sophia and Molly.  We couldn’t find him, telling them everything, my heart was racing.  I love my brother, I would hate if anything happened to him.  I started going back again, but taking it more slow.  I sat as a Panther where I saw him run off to, then I calmed myself down, then started to us my nose, following it even inch Mathew took.

I kept going, but I smelt something else that was near, to the path Mathew took.  A few steps later, his sent vanished, with no path, foot prints, or anything.  I smelt Damon coming, and realizing him no threat, I started using my nose to smell the other things that crossed this exact path.  Most were small animals scurrying to and fro, but there was also the smell of that beast that was near, and following Mat.  It was all over, and strongest on that spot.  My heart and brain were racing, I don’t know anymore, everything that I thought I knew, doesn’t make a difference now.

Pushing of, yelling to Damon to keep going, because I’m going to see from above.  Changing into a young Golden Eagle, I flew around the spot, looking for smashed, anything, that might lead to a monster, which might lead to my brother.  Finding a small trail, that even from the air, it was kind of tricky to see and impossible from the ground, I followed until I couldn’t tell anymore before going back.  I hung my head sadly to hide shining tearing running down my cheeks.

“I couldn’t find him, we have to tell my mom, that he ran off, but not into the forest, and tomorrow we look again.”  Damon came back just then shaking leaves from his night black coat.

“I couldn’t find him either, I think that this is very bad now.  You’re probably too upset to feel this Amber, but there is darkness and evil spreading out, something very bad is going to happen in a couple days, or so.  We better find your brother fast!”

“Come on, we did our best tonight, we’ll start again fresh in the morning.  Molly and I will tell your folks something good, on what happened. Won’t we Molly!”

“Yes, Sophia, we are all in this together, so we stick together.  You’re not alone on this, so don’t worry so,  so much, okay.  You already have a lot of stress on your back.”

“You should listen to your friends more, Amber.  Remember that I’m also here, so we’ll find your brother.  In my few encounters with monsters, and mythical creatures junk, is that if they take someone, it is usually to lure someone else in.  And they don’t harm their captive, because then they don’t have anything else to bargain with.”  Damon helped sadly.  Though his advice didn’t make me feel any better, but a bit worse, I just kept my mouth shut with worries about my brother, and that he was trying to help.