"She's stayed shifted since a few months after the fire.. but she's had to hide because of it.. an'.. I didn't know enough about shifters to help he back then, and I don't know enough to help her now either…" he said softly, letting out a sigh as he led Levi out into the streets.
Eventually they came close to the outskirts of the city, and Marco didn't show any signs of stopping. He did pause however, turning around to face him with a serious expression. "I have to shift to take you the rest of the way there.. but.. I need you to promise me you won't freek, and.. and you can't tell anyone about what you see either, not even your mom or another shifter… not yet.."
"Of course. I won't tell a soul," he swore. "I'm ready when you are." he kissed his forehead and smiled.
Marco let out a sigh and nodded, backing away a little before shifting, this time into something much, much larger than what he would normally do, ending up as a large, cat faced, eagle clawed, lion tailed, winged griffon. Something that by basic principal shouldn't have been possible, as shifters weren't necessarily supposed to be able to shift into the form of any mythic creature.
"So cool!" Levi reached out and touched his fur. "I never knew you could shirt into this!" he whisper, yelled.
Marco tilted his head to the side, leaning down so he was closer to the other, "Not.. Not many shifters can…" he said softly, (Yes he's still in griffon form.) "Now get on, it's not too much further.."
"You can talk to?!" Levi got all excited and hopped on his back. "I'm ready!"
"Only in this form…" said Marco softly, moving to lumber off onto one of the nearby tractor trails, icking u speed as he went.
Levi latched onto Marco the whole way there. "This is so cool! I want to do this with you every day."
Marco didn't answer, not wanting to tell him no as they entered the trees at the edge of the feild, continuing further into the forest before he slowed, sniffing the air.
(Sorry I've been gone lately, I'll try to be on more though!)
"What's going on?" he got a bit nervous when he slowed down. "Everything okay?"
"We're close.." he said softly, continuing on, before coming across a small clearing, where a younger, violet and black scaled dragonet was visible. Marco dropped low to the ground, approaching slowly, making sure to make noise as he walked, alerting the other to his presence.
"Is that her? She looks so peaceful?" he whispered.
(THere's only one dragonet.)
Marco nodded, waiting until the Dragonet approached him before moving again.
"Should I be quiet?" Levi whispered and again, holding onto Marco's fur tighter.
"For now… yes.."he said softly, letting the dragonet get his scent before nuzzling up against him quietly, never once making a sound. Marco relaxed, using one paw to draw her close.
Levi stayed silent and watch the two. He got a little jealous, knowing he would never be this close with Marco. Levi just wanted him to open up, but Marco wouldn't not after what he did in the bathroom.
Levi was 100% wrong about that, since all MArco needed was a little time and patience. But right now, he was dealing with his sister, pulling away slightly so he could shift back, petting her scales lightly as she nuzzled him.
"Should I show myself or…did she already notice me?" Levi asked quietly.
THe dragonet turned to peer up at Levi warily as he spoke, though her tail flicked in curiousity as she scooted close to her brother.
"I'm not going to hurt you, I promise. I'm your brother's soulmate. I want to take care of you, really I do." Levi scooted down Marco's fur. He stood in front of the two.
The Dragonet looked up to Marco, shuffling behind his leg. Marco sighed a little, "She doesn't know what soulmates are yet… she was too young to know when it happened.. an.. and she's been stuck in dragon form ever since…"
"So then I have to find a way to explain this. She knows what love is right?" Levi sat on the ground and leaned his hand against his cheek.
"No… she's only eleven… and she's spent a long time relying on her animal instincts… I.. I don't know if she'll ever be able to come back…" he seemed less worried about her understanding their relationship, and more about her ability to shift back into human form, something she hadn't done since the year they ended up alone in the world.
"So she's basically a human, in a dragon body. Well, what made her become a dragonet? I get parents sying and fire, but what else. There has to be something else. What does she know? Like just list them." Levi stood up and started to pace around.
"My family are a special type of shifter, we can shift into creatures normal shifters can't, usually the rule is any animal, or non plant creature, that isn't magical. But with us it's different. Each shifter in my family can shift into one kind of magical creature. For me, it's a griffon, like my mom. My dad was a Chimera, and my older sister was a basilisk. But Mia and my older brother were dragons." he sighed, "You should already know this, but every shifter, especially young shifters, have a comfort form, an animal form that makes them feel safer in dangerous or unomfortable situations. For my family it's our magical forms… I used to spend half my time in Griffon form until I learned to control it, and it's why I always shift into a cat. For her it's her dragon, and when the fire happened… well…" he gestured to her again, "I was able to get her to keep shifting back and forth for a few months, but when I started having trouble with gangsters and thugs… she…. she stopped shifting back.. and.. and I didn't know how to keep her from staying in dragon form…. 'sepcially.. sin.. since she.." he broke down a little, shifting back into a cat, at which point the dragonet pulled him closer protectively.
"Does she know what the word safe means?" Levi walked up to Marco and touched his fur. "It helps me think don't judge."
The Dragonet pulled Marco closer, keeping his now much smaller tomcat form closer to her body as she moved away from levi, mistaking him for the cause of her big brother's impulsive shift.
"Okay, let me help you," he sighed and looked at the dragonet. "What are you scared of. Is it fire or losing someone you love? I'm telling you this from a personal standpoint, even though you don't know what any of this means, but I love your brother. If he died, I would feel empty and lost and I know that's what your feeling right now. But look. Your brother who loves you more than anything is with you in your arms right now. He's not gone. He's not going anywhere. I can promise you that. Everyone will die one day. Even you. You have emotions feelings thoughts. That's what makes you human. Everyone has fear. Marco lives with it every day. You're young I get that. No need to be offensive there are plenty of children out there who have suffered worse. Some don't even have a family. You do. Your brother loves you so much and he would never let anything happen to you. I love your brother so much that I would never let anything happen to him. You can trust me. She doesn't know a word I'm saying does she?"
