It didn't take long for everyone to start taking the steps down to the gardens from the back patio. Shutting the door to the steps to keep Grivei from coming down as well. Not that it would've been too much of a problem.
The sun was already heating Nemia's skin, glancing up she was met with rolling blue sky's. Only small wisps of clouds floating through the air at an extreme altitude. Her fingers blocking out the glare of the sun.
She felt something inside her stir and the mark on her chest pulsed, faintly at first. The moment her bare feet hit the smooth grass at the end of the stairs, the mark pulsed again. Stronger now and growing. Her hand rubbed across it softly, brows knitting as she glanced down.
"Something wrong?" Dorian questioned, taking her hand that hung loosely to her side.
She glanced up at him, then to the others behind him who all wore a curious expression. Refocusing back on Dorian, the mark pulsed again. "Solis.. he- I don't know..." She mumbled, her thoughts squishing together and becoming muddled.
"Do we need to go back? Do this later?" Dorian asked worriedly, his other hands brushing her cheek softly.
The marks pulse became a steady rhythm. Her skin feeling stretched under the surface. She could feel Adira pushing through, but she wasn't the one initiating the action.
"No, I... I think he needs us to shift?" She replied softly. Not entirely sure if that was the truth but felt as if that was the case.
The worry didn't leave Dorian's eyes but he nodded. "Okay." He dropped his hands from her and she stepped back.
Not just one step, but a few. Giving enough room for Adira to shift out without being too close to the others.
'Lets try to take this slow, yeah?' She spoke to Adira within herself, her eyes falling on Ajax and Theo. Both of which was grinning ear to ear.
'If I even remember how to go slow.' Adira huffed with a laugh.
Nemia rolled her neck, flexing her arms and hands at her side. Ignoring the pulsing of her mark that seemed to be heating up deep within her chest. Like the actual suns rays were piercing straight through the mark to the deepest part within her chest.
Her skin started stretching, contorting as if something on the inside was trying to claw its way out. In this case, it was. Nemia's back arched, bending backwards to an extreme degree. Then snapping forwards, her body forcing itself down to its knees. Her bones starting to snap and pop, contorting and lengthening in size.
The first few shifts were painful. She could remember screaming bloody murder and just asking for it to stop the first time. Now, she embraced it. The breaking, tearing, clawing. All of it was welcoming, right.
To the others witnessing this first hand for the first time ever though? They didn't know. Poor Milli didn't have the slightest clue as to what it took to transform.
Gasping softly. "My god..." Milli expressed lowly.
Nemia's eyes popped open, even through what her body was doing and landed her gaze on Milli from her bowed position. Winking at her with a sly smile toying the edge of her lips.
Then, her eyes were forced shut, becoming engulfed in fur and her teeth lurched forward. Her mouth opening wider then any persons should be able to. Adira snout starting to protude.
Nemia's mind receded, passing and letting Adira's through. A third soul wrapped around them for a moment, locking their souls in a state of limbo for a moment. Then, Adira was pushed forward. Taking a seat in the forefront. Nemia and the new soul, Solis, receding just behind Adira.
Adira shook her head, her ears flopping against her skull and she stretched her wolven limbs. Her fur a tail swishing softly from a light breeze.
"She really is huge!" Ajax exclaimed, the awe lacing into his voice.
"So big!" Theo giggled excitedly.
"That's all understatement." Milli breathed in disbelief.
Adira's big eyes popped open then, looking down at the crowded family a few feet away. The first time she's gotten to lay her actual eyes on the children and sister. Her heart swelled at the sight of them, her tail thumping the ground softly and her large tongue rolled out of the side of her mouth. Pawing at the ground, silently urging them closer if they wanted.
Then, she noticed the shocked look on Dorian's face, one that resembled Nik's.
'They've seen me before, why do they look shocked too?' Adira questioned Nemia inside softly.
'Wait, I can hear you now too?' Dorian interjected. Adira's eyes locked onto Dorian's again, tilting her head slightly.
'You can hear her?' Nemia was utterly confused, just as Adira and even Dorian. He shouldn't be able to hear Adira's thoughts, only Nemia's. Why could he hear Adira's now?
Adira's eyes stayed focused on Dorian as he came closer. Lowering her head down to look closer at his face.
"Your fur... Wasn't it deep browns and auburn shades before?" Dorian asked aloud for the others to hear.
"Definitely was, now that mark is shimmering and the tips of her fur has the same shimmery golden hues." Nik interjected, walking up to get a closer look himself.
"And your eyes.." Dorian started again. Resting his hand on the left side of Adira's face, just past her snout. "Those beautiful emerald orbs, are now rimmed with gold to go along with a dusting of golden flakes that's mixing brilliantly with the emerald. It's..." His voice faultered, looking at her with such awe.
If a wolf could blush, she most definitely was in this moment. But what he was saying, those about her changes.
'Water, show me. Us.' Nemia pushed forward.
Adira huffed softly, swiveling her head to find a water source. Luckil, down here in the gardens, there was a small fish pond located a few yards away from where they were already.
She let out a small grunt and stood up fully.
"She rivals your lycans height." Lillian jabbed at Dorian as she walked over, bringing the children closer.
Dorian glanced over at Lillian, a chuckle ringing in the air. "She most definitely does."
Nemia and Adira both could sense his pride. Adira's nose twitched softly, then she felt hands embedding themselves into her fur on her front legs. Her head snapped down, locking eyes on little Theo.
"Theo." Lillian warned, reaching for Theo. Her hand snagging the back of his collared shirt and pulled him back towards her gently.
He glanced up at Lillian with big eyes and stuck out his bottom lip. "I'm sorry mommy, she just looked so fluffy." His lip quivered.
'Looking at ourselves can wait.' Adira pushed the thought to Nemia, kneeling back down to nuzzle her head against Theo's side. Nudging him softly.
He giggled and turned around to her head. Which was the same width as him entirely. "You're so pretty, Nemia." He giggled, wrapping his arms around her neck. Unable to connect his hands, barely even made it half way around.
Adira huffed, cutting her eyes to Dorian. 'Please tell him my name is Adira.'
Dorian chuckled softly, stepping over and patting his back softly. "Most werewolves wolfs has a name for themselves and doesn't go by the "human" name. Nemia's wolfs name is actually Adira."
Theo pulled away from Adira, his eyes wide with apologies on his tongue. "Oh I'm sorry, I didn't know. Your very pretty A, Ah-deer-ah." He struggled saying her name a bit but was close enough that Adira was content with it. "And very big! I bet I could ride you!" His eyes looked at her, almost pleasing but not actually asking.
Adira snorted through her nose, the air coming out blowing Theo's hair softly. With a huff, she laid down onto the grass and stared at Theo. Motioning with her head to climb on.
"Really?!" Theo squealed excitedly, bouncing on his toes before glancing back at Lillian for permission.
Her lips thinned slightly, looking at Adira. "Keep him safe?"
Adira nodded her head once.
"Okay, get on. Hold on tight." Lillian expressed, pushing his back gently to nudge him forward.
He giggled softly, running to Adira's side. Attempting to climb on but even with her laying flat, she was still too tall. Lillian walked over, laughing softly and picked him up. Setting him down in the bend of Adira's back, just behind her front shoulders.
Lillian stepped away but Adira still didn't move. Instead, her eyes found Ajax. She didn't want to leave him out of the experience and knew she could carry the both of them easily.
She blinked at him, then motioned her head just as she did with Theo. His eyes widened slightly and he looked from her eyes to her back, then back again. "Ar- are you sure?"
Adira nodded her head, motioning with her head for him to come on. He sprinted around instantly, clambering on awkwardly. Saddling in behind Theo.
"Hold onto Theo and keeps yourself safe up there." Lillian urged Ajax, squeezing his nlonee gently once he was settled. Then stepped away once again and Adira rose to her feet.
Theo giggled and Adira felt Ajax tense his legs. She started with a slow walk, letting them get the feel of how her body moves under them. Then she picked up to a slow trot, staying in the perimeters of the gardens, not diving into the woods like her nature calls her to do.
"Go faster!" Theo shouted with another giggle bubbling out of him, his hands gripped deeply into her fur.
"Really?" Ajax let out a nervous breath.
Adira let out a soft as possible growl, then dug her paws into the ground and pushed off to pick the slow trot up to a casual sprint. Building speed until she was at a full blown run. Going in wide circles around the garden and then jumped over the hedge into the maze. Zigzagging them around to the center of the maze.
Turning around to dart back out of the maze. Making the same loops for thirty minutes or so. Theo giggling wildly and Ajax, though timid at first, was howling in laughter by the time Adira skidded to a halt back infront of the others who has taken cover under the shade of the trees that hugged the back of the small fish pond she noted earlier.
Laying down to let the bows clamber off her back, she nudged them with her about as the passed and let her tongue smear across their faces. Ajax was grossed by it but Theo just continued to giggle.
'Please, look now?' Nemia pressed in Adira's mind and she huffed again. Adira didn't care if she looked different, she was still her. But she done as Nemia asked and trotted to the edge of the small pond, looking down at her reflection.
Everything the Dorian and Nik had described about her changes were accurate. Adira blinked down at herself, bringing her face even closer to the water. Stretching her neck and chest out. Her eyes on the mark that was glowing in the same bright ferocity as the sun itself. No longer just half of a sun. No, now it was whole.
'Finally, we are one.' The voice boomed loudly in hers and Nemia's combined mind.
'Solis? You can speak now?' Nemia pressed, conviction in her tone.
'Yes, my child. We are one now. The bonding you completed last night, mixed with our discussion earlier and the change in the suns light. We. Are. One.' Solis confided, his voice diminishing from the booming sound to one of softness and warmth.
'And I get to hear it too.Never thought I'd speak directly to a God.' Dorian's voice slipped into their minds, causing Adira to look away from her distorted reflection and into his eyes.
'You too?' Adira asked, Nemia pushing further up in mind.
'Well, how many more new things are we going to find out now?' Did Nemia have a body right now, no. Adira had the body right now. But between the other three, they all knew she was rolling her eyes at the thought.