543 Dark Fire

It was a strange fire, and behaved as though it was more strands of destructive aura than fire. Kyera felt it trying to mingle and drain her shadows but they were stronger than it.

There was a sense of familiarity with this power. It was as if she knew this person from a long ago time or place. It drew her in, moving closer to the door, wondering who is on the other side. Why did she want to open it and find out? It was clear the spirit was forcing the person out, or the door wouldn't be so badly damaged. This kept Kyera from grasping the handle. However the crack in the door offered her an alternative. A peek couldn't hurt? The shadows were stronger here anyway, no one could harm her spirit here unless she allowed it.

Kyera knelt down despite the earth Spirits attempts to stop her. She looked through the whole with one golden eye, hoping to see the face on then other side. Instead she saw golden eyes, much like her own but then there was something else as the other golden eyes widened in shock. A connection was struck.

Shock shot through her system as the fire met her shadows. Her spirit felt the flood of emotion and pain before her world went black. It was like traveling through space, and into another's mind.

The forest around her, the beat of her heart… but it wasn't hers. This was a memory… long ago and not her own. This was another woman, another shifter whose heart and magic was tied to this place. She could feel it clear as day. There was blood on her paws. She stalked forward in the dark, vaguely familiar doorway. It opened, quietly it closed behind her.

A dark room, moon beams through an open window fell on the bed rolls in the center of the room. The shadows hid the faces of the figures in the bed. There was a moment of wavering indecision followed by a choice. A sickening feeling overtook  Kyera as she felt the scene continue. Her spirit struggled to free itself from this memory. Yet, she couldn't the fire held her bound.

Kyera felt her heart shudder as the person approached the first bed roll and leaned down, dragging a jagged claw across the first throat. The person died quietly, not so much as a whimper before the shadows took his soul.

Then the second body was the same way, but the third awoke. A shadow drenched face looked up and made a noise as his throat was cut, adding to the growing pool of blood. A Scratch, a narrow escape. He jerked away, rolling as the door burst open, the body Kyera was in turned and dashed for an open window, casting a look back at the fourth bed before leaping out. The last thing Kyera saw was her own face stirring as Kan burst in the door.

Suddenly she was laying naked on the grass, coughing water out of her lungs, a drenched familiar face looking down at her. A cloak tossed on her body as he sat down beside her, breathing heavily. Kyera turned up on her side looking at him, her eyes dark and accusatory.