[Kim POV]

  "Where am I?"(Kim)

  Looking around I could see nothing but white as far as I could tell.

  "Ok. Hello, is there anyone here?"(Kim)

  After no response, I tried my hardest to remember how I got here, but I couldn't come up with anything. The st thing I remembered was heading back to Lily's b so she could do some tests on me, and then nothing.

  Jill, can you hear me? (Kim)

  When she didn't respond, I started to get worried, but before I could freak out, the world began to shift around me. Losing my bance from the shift caused me to fall on my butt. Soon, the world settled down, now resembling a city street. But before I could examine it, instincts I gained from sparing with Gale kicked in and I rolled to the side just in time to see an arrow embedded in the spot I was just at.

  "Did you see that? The beast was able to dodge it. HAHAHAHAHA!"(Hunter?)

  I looked in the direction of the voice and saw a dark-haired woman dressed like a hunter pointing at me with one hand and a crossbow in the other.

  What's going on?! (Kim)

  "Stop toying around with it. We need to capture it before someone else can."(Hunter2?)

  I saw a dark-skinned man in a hunting outfit simir to the woman's when I turned around.

  "Yeah, yeah. Quit being a killjoy, I just wanted to have some fun."(Hunter?)

  "*GROWL*"(Kim)

  When I tried to say something about this situation, instead of words, an angry-sounding growl escaped my lips.

  "That is not supposed to happen."(Kim)

  "Don't growl at me, you mangy beast!"(Hunter?)

  The woman shouted before firing a smaller crossbow at me. I managed to dodge the bolt but couldn't help but notice something off with my body. For one, I was comfortably on all fours, and for another, my arm was completely covered in scales.

  This is not how my body is supposed to be. (Kim)

  I'd decided to run away from these people and figure out what was happening. Quickly, I booked it in the opposite direction of the woman, but before I could get very far, my vision blurred, and a line of hunters with crossbows in their hands popped into existence. I had tried to change directions, but a net dropped on me from above, trapping me.

  "Hahaha! You thought you could get away from us. Well, too bad. Now be a good little freak and entertain us like the red one before we killed it."(Hunter?)

  Once again, the world shifted. I was no longer in a net surrounded by hunters; now, I was standing alone in crimson-covered snow with blood dripping off my cws. A scream came from behind me, and I turned to see my family staring at me with horrified expressions on their faces. I'd tried to say something again, but only a roar came out. My brother was the only one composed enough to say something.

  "Stay back, you monster!"(Alex)

  I took a step back in shock, not only because of what my brother said but also because I could see myself in the reflection of a window behind them. My body was covered in blue scales with sharp teeth, red irises, reverse joints on my legs, and blood dripping from my maw. So to say I looked horrifying would be an understatement. I had a hard time breathing when faced with my appearance and desperately tried to force myself to calm down, but as I was forcing air into my lungs, icicles emerged suddenly from the ground as far as the eye could see killing everyone in the area, and then darkness.

  My body jolted upright, and I realized I was in my bed, covered in sweat. I carefully took a deep breath to calm my pounding heart. I understood everything that had just happened was a dream, but my heart wouldn't stop pounding before I could even try to get out of bed, a pair of arms wrapped around me from behind.

  "Kim, are you alright?"(Jill)

  I tried to give her a calm smile to ease her obvious worry.

  "I'm fine. I just had a nightmare, is all."(Kim)

  Jill rested her head on my shoulder and wrapped me in her tails. Being like that made me feel safe as my heartbeat slowed to normal. My tail wrapped around her waist, reducing the miniscule distance between us to nothing.

  "Do you want to talk about it?"(Jill)

  Her voice filled with worry.

  "No. I just want to stay like this for a while."(Kim)

  My reply was just above a whisper but it didn't matter with her so close to me.

  "Then your fluffy wife will indulge you as long as you want and then some!"(Jill)

  We slowly y back down in the bed without letting each other go, and sleep comes to retake me.

  [Ivan POV]

  I stood in front of the Chief, who I don't even think has a real name, or at least one that many people know.

  "The traitors are being interrogated after Gale dropped them off, but I want to hear what happened from you. So can you tell me what happened to the Shift?"(Chief )

  "Unfortunately, by the time Gale and I arrived, it was already gone. Lily was too busy taking care of the rest to inform us how it occurred."(Ivan)

  "I see, and she didn't tell you how one of the worst natural disasters in history disappeared?"(Chief)

  "Yes, but what she said was highly improbable and I didn't see the need to comment on it."(Ivan)

  I said, trying to deflect the question.

  "I do not care if it is the stuff of fantasy. Tell me."(Chief)

  Inwardly, I groaned as my attempt to avoid an answer was seen through. Unfortunately, I couldn't lie to the man because he somehow could tell if someone was telling the truth. Whether it was an esper power or years of experience, I couldn't tell. I spent a good moment before answering in a way that wouldn't put a target on Kim's back. Hopefully.

  "She told me a civilian somehow absorbed it without meaning to."(Ivan)

  "Would this civilian be the same individual found inside the cocoon at the same spot as the missing Shift?"(Chief)

  "Yes sir, but I would like to reiterate that they are still on base because of their connection to the cocoon and not because they are a member of Gleipnir. They're a civilian and shouldn't be put in harm's way just because of some bad luck."(Ivan)

  "Your opinion is noted and will be considered when I send this report to the general and our representative on Gleipnir's council."(Chief)

  He took a breath before continuing.

  "Have there been any changes to the fox that is attached to this civilian?"(Chief)

  "Nothing that I could tell, but the Doctor was still doing tests and I was told that she was going to be through about it."(Ivan)

  "I see, then I will have to wait for her to finish. You are dismissed."(Chief)

  "Sir!"(Ivan)

  I gave the man a salute before leaving the room.

  "I hope no one decides to do anything drastic."(Ivan)

  After saying that, I stopped for a moment before letting out a sigh.

  "I just jinxed it, didn't I?"(Ivan)

  darkarconkris