Chapter Two
Adria opened her eyes to a world of cold stone and dim light. Everything smelled sharp, earthy, and unfamiliar. Her body was not her own. Fur covered her skin. Her limbs were small and soft, yet instinct screamed at her in ways she could not understand. Panic clawed at her chest. She tried to rise, to move, but the new body would not obey.
A voice broke through the silence. Low, sharp, filled with authority and contempt.
"Look at her," a tall figure said. "The weakling they let live."
Adria froze. She was not alone. Shadowy forms circled her, foxes with sleek coats, glowing eyes, and sharp teeth. The whispers were cruel, slicing through her like knives. They mocked her small size, her trembling paws, and her weak aura.
"Cursed from birth," another hissed. "She will bring shame to the clan."
Her chest tightened. She had known cruelty once in her human life, but this felt different. This was primal, raw, immediate. Her body trembled, but a spark flickered deep inside her chest the same warmth she had felt before death. Rage and defiance surged through her tiny body.
She tried to speak, to tell them she was not weak, but all that came out was a terrified whimper. Laughter rang around her, sharp and merciless.
The elders approached, their eyes narrowing. One of them, tall and ancient, placed a paw on her head. "You are useless," he growled. "You have failed before you began. Perhaps it is better if you do not survive the next moon."
Adria's stomach twisted. Her mind flashed with memories of betrayal, death, and helplessness. She shivered, but her gaze hardened. She would not be weak. Not again.
Hours passed, or perhaps minutes. Time felt distorted. She was shoved into a cold den for punishment, left to shiver and lick at her small wounds. Alone, she felt the weight of the clan's cruelty press down on her. She curled into herself, small and trembling, but inside her chest, the warmth burned brighter.
It was faint at first. A glow she did not understand. But it was there. Her body tingled, a whisper of power she could not name. The elders had not noticed. The clan thought her weak. But already, deep inside, something was awakening.
A sound shattered the silence. Sharp claws on stone. A shadow moved at the entrance of her den. Adria's ears twitched. Her small body stiffened. Her heart pounded.