Seeds of Autumn

  Chapter Eighteen

  24th November

  The next evening, after another hard day of training and uneventful patrolling, Ariana boarded a bus with Shadow. They sat in easy silence. Throughout the day Ariana had asked him questions about his friends and where they were going, but he had been vague in his responses and kept telling her that she would see for herself. She had given up asking and now sat looking out of the window of the bus, curious and a little impatient.

  Their bus skirted the northern edge of the city centre and turned west, crossing the river and heading into Old Town. Caerton was a very old city. Once a Roman fort had stood here, then a Viking castle. Old Town still held the remains of the Norman castle and town, built over the Viking one. The city's oldest museum was located here and some major tourist attractions, such as the Dungeons and the city's premier theatre. It also housed a few narrow Tudor streets with cobblestones and some quirky independent shops selling everything from traditional sweets to bespoke wedding gowns.

  The bus stopped just around the corner from the museum, on the main road that was jammed with traffic. Ariana followed Shadow quickly and quietly through the bustling streets of late night shoppers. The road was still a little wet, though it hadn't rained all day. She wondered if that had anything to do with her destroying a rain elemental the previous night. She watched Shadow carefully as they went. His eyes were so sharp, looking everywhere at once, and she quickly stopped watching him and followed his example. She cast her eyes around, looked carefully into the deep shadows around doorways and alleyways. They left the busy main road and walked briskly up a dark side street. There were cars parked on either side and visibility was poor, so Ariana tried to use her other senses but found it frustrating, they just weren't as sharp in human form as in some of her animal forms.

  'Can you tell me where we're going yet?' she whispered. She was unsure why, but some instinct told her to keep a low profile. Shadow glanced at her.

  'This is the territory of The Watch. A very old pack. We are on vaguely friendly terms with them and they know we are coming, but it pays to be prudent.'

  'Are they the friends we're meeting? The Watch?' she asked and he shot her another look.

  'One of The Watch will be there, he offered to host, the other is coming in from Fenstoke.'

  'But that's on the other side of the city centre.' She frowned. 'Why didn't we meet in the centre on neutral ground?'

  Shadow stopped walking abruptly and turned to face her, a trace of impatience on his dark face.

  'The city centre isn't exactly neutral, no one claims it so it's neutral in that sense, but it is rife with urban demon activity. It's not a safe place, Ariana. Not for any of us. We meet on claimed ground so that someone is in command of the elements there.'

  'I see,' Ariana answered meekly. She felt a little chastised and foolish for asking so many questions.

  Shadow set off walking again and she followed quickly and silently.

  After a few minutes Shadow slowed slightly and grasped an iron railing to his right. He turned and jogged up some steps leading to a tall, narrow house in the terrace of townhouses. There was a small brass plaque by the large, wooden door, but Ariana couldn't read it in the dark. The door swung open and Shadow produced a slip of paper from his pocket. A hand emerged from the shadows to take the slip and a moment later the door opened wide to admit them.

  Ariana followed Shadow inside and past the be-suited figure that had admitted them. Shadow led her into what appeared to be a small and secluded private club, reminiscent of an old gentleman's club, but no one batted an eyelid at Ariana's presence. There were a few people sat in comfortable chairs around small tables and a fire blazed in a large grate at one end of the main room. Shadow led her through the lounge and into a small private room. There was a fire burning in here too, one low table sat before the fire and deep sofas sat on either side of it. She felt Shadow relax as they entered the room and found two men deep in conversation. The men looked up as Ariana and Shadow entered and broad grins erupted on their faces.

  'There he is,' the younger of the two called as he rose to greet Shadow. He drew him into a brotherly embrace and Shadow's face lit up with warmth and energy. The older man grasped Shadow's arm with both of his hands in a sort of old fashioned hand shake.

  'Sorry we're late,' Shadow said with a smile. 'Not right of me to keep an old dog waiting.' He nudged the older man with his fist and the three of them chuckled.

  This was by far the most animated Ariana had ever seen her mentor. These two new shifters were fascinating. She felt instantly submissive to them, the elder of the two exuded power and authority, this was his territory and she knew it. He looked far older than any other shifter she had yet seen and knowing how old Fortune was despite appearing to be no more than fifty, she guessed that this ageing shifter was into his tenth decade or more. He wore loose clothing, a wooden staff propped against the sofa he had been sitting in when they arrived had to belong to him. He had long, messy grey hair and scars on his weathered face. He was dressed like an ageing biker had the look of the wolf about him, like Fortune.

  Shadow took her arm and brought her closer to the fire, a wide smile lighting up his normally serious face.

  'This is Ragged Edge,' he said, indicating the old man. Ragged Edge extended a hand and she took it, his grip was firm and commanding. He shook her hand and eyed her carefully. The warmth he had shown Shadow was gone. His shrewd eyes were narrow and serious, but she sensed caution behind them, not hostility. 'Don't let the staff fool you,' Shadow said, a mocking smile etched on his features. 'It's no walking stick.' Shadow sat down and spread his arms out over the back of the sofa. Ragged Edge chuckled, it was a low and gravelly sound deep in his chest.

  'Pleased to meet you,' he said quietly, a hint of warmth creeping into his gruff voice.

  The other man nudged him aside. He couldn't have been more different. He was tall and broad with skin the colour of black coffee and several piercings in his ears. He looked about Ariana's age, though that didn't necessarily mean much.

  'I'm First Strike,' he said. He grinned and grasped her hand. She couldn't help but smile back.

  They each took a seat by the fire, Ariana ended up next to First Strike and felt a little flustered. He was warm and charismatic and she found him extremely attractive. But Rhys popped into her head, and a gnawing sensation travelled quickly from her gut to the rest of her body. She blushed and averted her gaze, focusing on Shadow's skin, glowing in the firelight.

  The three men got down to business, Ariana tried to follow the conversation but much of it went over her head, with references to names and places she didn't know.

  'The barrier will keep humans out, of course and it will be totally sound proof,' Shadow said, very matter-of-factly.

  'What's the radius?' First Strike asked, leaning forward on his knees.

  'A hundred feet, that should encompass the venue and a little beyond,' Shadow replied.

  'How many do we need to cast it?'

  'Three,' Ragged Edge replied. 'We're well prepared.'

  Ariana allowed the conversation to wash over her. It was clearly nothing to do with her and she allowed her mind to wander.

  Suddenly she was aware of the drop in conversation and saw that Ragged Edge had turned to her and was watching her carefully. She felt herself growing uncomfortable under his gaze.

  'Shadow's Step has told me that you have a gift for combat,' Ragged Edge said slowly and thoughtfully. Ariana shifted her weight and nodded once.

  'He tells me that too. I've always trained, before I changed I was a martial arts instructor.' She smiled with pride and saw Shadow give her a quick nod of encouragement. First Strike stirred beside her and she glanced at him, he was grinning.

  'What do you think of what you can do now?' he asked, a sly look in his deep brown eyes.

  'It's awesome,' Ariana returned his broad grin.

  The four of them talked for a while about Ariana's backgro
und, how she was adjusting to life as a shifter and her passions. She felt a little like she were being analysed and wasn't really sure what to make of it all, but she tried to answer their questions openly.

  'Where are your family?' Ragged Edge asked, sipping his whiskey.

  'On the south coast. I grew up there but moved to Caerton when I was seventeen. I haven't really seen my family since. We were never close.' She didn't mind talking about her family, though didn't know why they were asking. Ragged Edge simply nodded.

  'Do you think it's possible that any of them might relate to what you're going through now?' First Strike asked carefully, a change in tone from him. Ariana was surprised by the question and paused to give it some thought.

  'No, I don't think so. But I was adopted. I don't know anything about my birth parents. I never felt close to my adoptive family because I always felt different from them. Now I know that wasn't just because I was adopted.'

  'We should examine her lineage,' Shadow spoke softly to Ragged Edge, but didn't try to prevent her from hearing, she frowned at him as he spoke.

  'The Scroll Keepers could help there,' First Strike said quietly, barely above a whisper.

  'Excuse me, but why does my lineage matter?' Ariana had images flashing through her mind of elite groups among the shifters who were obsessed with heredity, like the human aristocracy and the Witches. The three men looked at her, Shadow barely hiding a smirk, First Strike grinned at her and Ragged Edge just stared at her thoughtfully.

  'Does it matter to you?' he asked carefully. Ariana frowned and thought for a moment.

  'It hadn't occurred to me before. I'm not an elitist or anything, I couldn't care less about a person's family when it comes to rank or leadership. Do we have more potential with stronger blood? Is it a biological thing? And I mean really, not in a “Divine Right of Kings” way.' Her thoughts flickered to the absent heir to the throne of Caerton, but she squashed the thought down and turned her focus back to the present moment.

  Ragged Edge smiled and almost broke into a throaty chuckle.

  'I don't know much about biology, but I'm not really sure the normal rules apply to us. It's not about power or leadership or potential. It's about heritage. Caring where we come from and the deeds of our ancestors. Do you care about that?'

  'Honestly, I haven't had time yet to even think about it. I guess, now you mention it, it is weird. I understand a bit about the shifter trait in our blood and that some of us change and some don't, so my biological family must have a history of it and yes, I would like to learn about that. I never used to think it was important, but my views have changed recently.'

  'Well then,' said Ragged Edge, standing up. 'Come with Shadow to the gathering tomorrow and meet the others. You have promise, Ariana, and I think you will be accepted should you choose to join.'

  Ariana stood up with the others, confusion filling her as Ragged Edge shook her hand again.

  'I'm sorry, but join what?' she asked cautiously.

  Ragged Edge looked quickly between her and Shadow and then smiled warmly.

  'Why, Odin's Warriors, of course.'

  The elder shifter placed a heavy hand on her shoulder and gave her one last long look, like he was studying her, reading her. She thought of the ability Shadow had taught her and became uncomfortable under Ragged Edge's careful consideration, wondering if he was doing that to her. She wondered what he would glean from her soul.

  First Strike opened the door and the four of them filed out through the club, drawing the wary attention of the other members, who looked up from their strong liquor and stalled their conversations to watch these four strange characters stride through the stuffy lounge.

  Ariana thought it a very odd place for shifters to meet, but supposed there must be reasons for it. Ragged Edge could easily have been a member of the club for decades.

  They stepped out into the cold night and said their goodbyes. Ragged Edge set off one way up the dark, tree-lined street and First Strike walked with Ariana and Shadow to the other end of the street before taking a right where they turned left.

  Ariana and Shadow moved quickly through the streets of Old Town. Ariana's head was still spinning from the bizarre meeting with Shadow's friends. She was annoyed that he hadn't told her anything about them or why they were meeting them and resented being assessed like that without her knowledge. What if she didn't want to join this group? She knew nothing about them. Shadow had promised to talk to her about it when they got back to the betting shop, so for now Ariana was silently stewing over it.

  When they arrived back at the shop the rest of the Blue Moon were busy with their own tasks. Shadow took Ariana to the kitchen and started to get food out to cook for the pack. Ariana stood and watched him as he started chopping meat and vegetables. She leaned against the tall freezer and crossed her arms over her chest.

  'Well? Are you going to tell me what that was all about?' she asked him, a touch impatiently.

  'What is there to say?' he asked, not looking up from his work. He tossed her an onion and she grudgingly joined him at the worktop and began chopping.

  'What if I don't want to join Odin's Warriors?' she mumbled.

  'You will,' he chuckled and they glanced at each other, Ariana reluctantly smiled back. 'You won't be able to resist now you know they exist. The fight will call to you, from your very blood and you'll be drawn to others who feel the same.'

  Ariana watched him carefully for a long moment. She thought of the way Eyes had been drawn into his thoughts when they talked about fighting.

  'Is Eyes a member? Or will he be?'

  'Maybe. That's for him and Fortune to talk about. I suspect Fortune has other ideas for Eyes though,' he said softly, throwing chunks of beef into a pan. Ariana frowned but didn't say anything. It wasn't the first time she had felt that each of the older Blue Moon members were steering their protégés toward something. Maybe that was normal among their kind though, there were a lot of things about their society that were different from what she was used to and every day she was sacrificing a little of her old life and her old expectations. She wasn't in control of her own destiny, but she realised now that she never had been. Her whole life had been steering towards this change and this life. She didn't know what she was meant for now but she felt it was something important.

  'I need you to tell me more about them. I think I know what you mean about being drawn in a certain direction, but I am still a rational being and I still need information to base my decisions on, Shadow. I can't promise I will always follow you, I might want different things to you.'

  He stopped chopping and looked at her.

  'I know,' he sighed. 'Just as in human society, shifters each have their own interests and talents. Some of it is in our blood. Weaver was born a prophetess and she can't change that, but that's not all she is. You were born to fight, you've always known that, so was Eyes but you won't necessarily both feel it pulling you in the same direction. You're drawn to the dark places, to the silent kill. Eyes is, well, he is a born leader. Like Fortune. Odin's Warriors attracts both kinds and everything else in between, but we're spiritual at heart. I can't really tell you much more, you have to see for yourself.'

  Ariana was intrigued. One of the things about her martial arts that had always called to her was the inner peace and stillness it gave her, the focus she had learned from years of meditation and the ability to listen to her spirit. It wasn't something she really talked about much, but it had always been present in her life and it was something she had applied to other areas of her life too.

  She was a no nonsense kind of person, she didn't articulate herself that well all of the time and she didn't think this was something she could or should share with anyone. Had someone else tried to tell her they felt those things before she might even have dismissed it as hippy crap, despite sharing those feelings herself. But Shadow telling her this now made so much sense and different cogs of her life suddenly clicked into place and were finally turning toge
ther.

  'Ariana? Ariana?' he was saying her name softly and she realised that she had drifted into her own little world for a moment.

  'Hmm?' She slipped back into the present moment and took a deep breath. 'I was just thinking about how that made sense. The spiritual thing. Are there other groups then?'

  'Well, not really in the same sense, not organised groups as such, but we each have other friends among our kind.'

  'Who are the Scroll Keepers?' Ariana asked, going back to her chopping.

  'They're record keepers, basically, they do a lot of research into bloodlines and shifter history. There aren't many of them now though, there doesn't seem to be as much appeal in that course for many young shifters,' he said with a sad sort of smile. 'Flames is one of them, though. We'll talk to him about looking up your line.'

  Ariana stifled a snort of surprise, causing Shadow to look up from the cooking.

  'Sorry,' she said, trying not to laugh. 'That just caught me off guard. But I suppose it makes sense. I guess it's a fairly solitary calling?'

  'Yes, mostly.' He was trying not to smile but the corners of his mouth betrayed him and soon they were both laughing as they finished frying the meat and onions.

  'Ariana,' Shadow broke the laughter with a return to his quiet and serious voice. Ariana stopped laughing. 'The pack comes first. We may have other contacts and friendships outside of the pack, but we're family and we always come first.'

  'I know,' she put her hand over his and looked into his eyes. 'I know that. I feel it.' She smiled and to her relief he returned it with a smile of his own.

  'Well that's okay then.'

  The pack assembled briefly for a meal and Ariana told Weaver all about meeting Ragged Edge and First Strike. Weaver had never met them and listened with interest. All too soon Stone was whisking Weaver off, Fortune left with Eyes and Flames took Wind Talker out. Ariana sighed, longing for a time when their training would ease off and the youngsters could all spend some more time together.