Dragon Born: Book I of the Tendaaren Chronicles
Chapter 11: Predator and Prey

“I am there waiting, watching keeping to the shadows. But when you need me, I’ll step out of the shadows and protect what’s MINE.“--Jbaby Writes

Alyenna wandered deep into the forest and only stopped when she almost collided with a whispering river. Tiny diamonds of moonlight danced on its smooth surface; its song was a dull roar in the otherwise silent forest. She took a sip of the refreshing crystalline water and found a tree on which to rest her back. Small blue sprites rose from the placid surface and danced along the edge. They picked up tiny shells and bits of moonlight as they moved. Each creature had a human top, but their legs were delicate scaled tails. To Aly, they resembled tiny blue-winged mermaids. The water sprites floated with the same dancer’s grace as a firefly on a summer’s eve. How could a place full of such beautiful magic be as cruel as they say?

Alyenna felt her eyes cave under sleep’s gentle hand. She could barely resist its hold on entranced by the flickering blue movement of the creatures before her. She heard the crunching of leaves under rapid footprints of an approaching animal. She smiled at the thought, What a wonderful world where I do not need to fear the creatures of the night, This gentle musing that evaporated in an instant. The water sprites darted and danced around her head emitting strange bell sounds in alarm. Alyenna waved them away as if they were mosquitos.

“Okay okay, I will leave I am sorry.” Aly stood up and stretched. When Aly turned, she saw Paul’s dark eyes and cruel smile.

“There you are, Aly,” The night’s shadows only darkened his already vicious features. His voice was a predatory purr. Paul seized her arm, and Alyenna trembled in fear. “I did warn you. I will always replace you.”

“How?” She asked in a stuttering whimper, “How did you replace me?”

“Little mouse did you think you were the only being with ‘magical friends.’” He grinned wrenching her arm painful and dragging her face inches from his. “Aly, what did I say about strangers.”

Her ale laden mental fog had dissipated as adrenaline shot like a California wildfire through her veins.

Paul had a ‘Hulk-like’ grip on her arm. The strength and power of his hand crippled her and dark bruises formed under his fingers. Aly took a deep breath, to force her panic and weakness back down into the depths of her soul where it belonged. She could not let him control her anymore; this is what Baellnar and Aagi had trained her for. This was the exact moment that they had warned her about.

In one deft movement, she contorted her arm; which broke his grip. She glared and jumped backward landing in a broad stance. As her arm slipped from his grip, she reached for his wrist and flipped him to the ground. She leaped in shock and examined her handiwork. She had accepted his power and control over her; she had allowed herself to be trapped by him. She let him whittle down her spirit bit by bit until not even instinct remained. She smiled at the realization that he did not have that power anymore. Aly relished in the moment as she watched that same realization mirrored in Paul’s furious expression. For the first time in a long time ever she was not afraid of him.

Alyenna knew she could not call for help, that admittance of weakness, would only encourage Paul. She whipped out her dragon-wing broad sword. Paul liked to play with his food, Aly was just returning the favor.

Aly danced on her toes; she moved back and forth in a rhythm similar to the water sprites. Baellnar’s words echoed in her mind, be light on your feet when your opponent is not. Do not let them catch you, or as they say in your world ’float like a butterfly and sting like a bee.′ She knew not to underestimate Paul, but she wanted so badly to toy with him as he did her. Baellnar’s words of caution entered her mind. Play into his game until you can strike, distract your opponent in any way you can.

“Paul!” She said with a false air of surprise. She did her best to hide her glee at seeing him beneath her on the ground. “I am sorry, you were so right, these strange men kidnapped me,” She added with a pitiful expression as she shifted away from him, “I do not know what came over me when I ran from your ‘protection.’” The words that escaped her mouth sickened her, but they were necessary. They lured him into a false sense of security, and she needed to lower his defenses.

He got up with a victorious snarl. “My dear Aly,” He purred as he approached her. His tongue moistened his lips. “to think all I needed to do to get you to listen was to have strange men abduct you.”

She nodded with another step backward, “I am helpless without you.” Despite her aversion to Paul Baellnar’s words remained in her mind. Your feet are the guideline for your strike, make yourself a small target by facing sideways, but at least one foot should always be angled at your target.

He chuckled, “enough of this game.” Paul stepped toward her again, “You are the only one that does not know your value, and it is delicious. You are mine; you will always be mine.” His eyes were hungry his hands twitched in anticipation.

Alyenna began to lose control of her facade. Fury from years of oppression threatened to break through her theatrical wall. She had spent too many with Paul after he took her away from home her junior year. It had felt like a decade of mental and physical torture with no end in sight. Not until Baellnar and Aagi had freed her from that prison. How could she look at her warden and not strike? Baellnar’s words again slipped into her mind. Defend only when needed, do not risk injury unless it is your last resort. She shook her head ignoring his words. This was different. She could do this; she could kill Paul.

She felt a familiar growl deep in her soul. I do not belong to you. She felt her muscles coil. She forced her words to show the fear she needed him to hear. Just a little more, she thought still sidestepping his advances. “Paul you are so right you were the only one who was there for me when my family passed.”

Paul flicked his hand and in that gesture tore her sword from her grip. Regret filled her as she watched it land in the mud of the river bank. Idiot, you should have known there was more to this if he was here. Now there was nothing here to save her. So she continued to avoid him and play the part of the victim that he cherished so much. He fed off it like a leach. Sucking her dry while becoming crueler and stronger.

Paul stepped closer to her. His face uncomfortably close to her own “I have a secret of my own Aly. Remember that ‘family’ who raised you? I was also there when they died.” He towered over her using his size to intimidate her. His cruel smile sickened her to her core.

The growl of fury crescendoed. She felt fire course through her veins. Alyenna’s vision magnified, she could even see the delicate details of the frantic sprites. Their terrified expressions fueled the protective hunger that controlled Aly’s transformation. Even the forest reacted to her wrath, as every animal from birds to wolves added their voices to the new cacophony.

I dare you to say it you inglorious bastard! Aly lost all self-control. She imagined the power of a tiger as she ripped Paul’s throat from his body. Alyenna felt hungry ferocity overpower her. She wanted it. She needed it. She would kill him.

“Oh, Aly does not act so surprised.” Paul purred, “you are a bright little girl. I know that you suspected me. Oh not at first, no, you were too overwhelmed with your grief. I saw your resentment in time Aly, and it was delicious to know you that you needed me so badly that you would never ask.”

He grabbed her. He had moved so fast she never saw it coming. He was a blur. “I did not have much magic in that world, but I had enough to pop the tire on that tanker truck.”

He threw his head back and laughed, a sound that in the past had terrified her. Now, Alyenna shook with vengeful fury, and clenched her hands into fists, in a vain attempt to hide her ire. Still unable to break his grip she bared her teeth at him and growled.

Paul twisted her arm behind her, and he gestured toward the river forcing the sprites to act out the scene. Their bell sounds now high-pitched and painful. “You should have seen it! It was glorious watching their car go up in flames. Their screams. Oh, little mouse what cowards they were!” His face leaned in close to her she could feel his breath as he whispered into her ear.

“Then watching your dad try to crawl from the car” he paused his lips made a sickening sound as his tongue tapped them rhythmically between each word. “he made it you know. I had to fix that.” He paused pulling away enough to watch her expression.

“Then all I had to do was convince your school I was some ‘long lost’ relative. His body pressed against hers. Good news Aly I am not, and you are quite a tasty little treat.” To emphasize the story, one of the sprites fell dead into the river and sank below the ripples.

Aly lost all control. The roar that had been rumbling deep inside her now came out and shook the forest around her. Her body began to transform. Claws erupted from her fingers a predatory instinct took hold of her mind. Fur began to form she nearly doubled in size. The metamorphosis charged by the fury that was coursing through her veins, as her body transformed alarm spread across Paul’s face. He jumped away from her unable to maintain his grip on her now enormous foreleg.

Her heightened vision delighted her. Her orange and black striped body rumbled with delight as she saw Paul sweat and cower in fear. Her claws sunk into the ground, her shoulders hunched, her tail twitching. Another ferocious growl sounded low in her throat that shook the ground. Her teeth bared menacingly at her tormentor. Birds began to dart at Paul from every direction, and he scrambled to his feet. He launched himself away from at an inhuman speed.

Loving the feeling of power sweeping through her body she began to chase him. Her tiger form easily covered the forest ground beneath her. Despite Paul’s inhuman speed she continued to gain on him. She was only a couple feet from him. He turned to her and screamed and threw some a smoke grenade and then vanished. Her new body ground to a halt and sniffed the spot of his disappearance. Her tail twitching in anger at his disappearance. She covered the surrounding area to catch his scent, but there was nothing. She began to feel her fury fade.

The predatory mind releasing its hold on her. Fur began disappearing from her arms, her claws softening and becoming fingertips again, her tail contracting into her body. As the last bit of her animal form faded, she slunk down to the ground in exhaustion. She lacked the strength to keep her eyes open.

She felt hands lift her delicately off the ground. She pressed against a hard body that smelled of lavender. She nuzzled into the smell feeling safe opening her eyes just enough to see Baellnar’s sapphire eyes and silver hair. Reassured of her safety, she fell asleep in his arms and let him carry her back to the inn.