Chapter 4

Jason walked to a cleared part of the wall and opened a hidden door, revealing black clothing. Rummaging around, Jason started pulling out the clothes, and Isabell realized they were all cloaks. Jason would pull one out, hold it up to Isabelle, shake his head, and throw it back in the closet, only to pull out another and start the whole process again. He did this for several minutes, having the hardest time finding one that looked like it would fit. At the very bottom, Jason paused at one he was holding in his hand. It looked like it would be able to fit Isabell's small and petite frame. Jason tossed it to Isabell, and she looked at it before pulling it on over her clothes. The cloak was plain black like the rest, and the sleeves reached down and ended perfectly at her wrist. The very bottom edges barely managed to brush the ground.

"Looks good," Jason said, shutting the closet, "Now, let's get started."

The two picked their way through the obstacles and the weapons on the floor to the center of the room. Jason plucked up the weaponry and sparing models and settled them away in their proper places. When he had finished, Jason was facing Isabell inside one of the sparing arenas.

"Okay, so here's how we're going to do this," Jason started "I'm going to give you an animal, and you're going to try to change into it without losing control."

"If you guys don't use this power anyway then why are we training for it," Isabell asked.

"Let's say you're in a situation where your protector can't help you and need to get away undetected. Being able to turn into a mouse would be useful. Or you're trapped somewhere, and somebody wants to do you harm? Not being able to shift your forms can be a way to get you killed," Jason said.

"Okay okay I get it," Isabell said, not wanting Jason to give any more scenarios that ended in death.

"Alright, are you ready," Jason asked.

"I can't remember how to do this," Isabell said bluntly.

"Think back to the dream we shared last night," Jason said.

"You mean the awful blinding pain that I felt after you forced me to change. Yeah, I don't think I want to feel that again in the dream world, much less in reality," Isabell said, shuddering at the memory.

"No, you won't have to this time," Jason said, easing Isabell's troubled mind, "Think after that happened, what you felt."

Isabell reversed her thoughts back to the events of last night. She remembered Jason placing his hand on her forehead and the incredible pain that came just moments after. Until she looked into Jason's eyes, then the pain turned to euphoria, but Isabell got the feeling that wasn't what Jason was talking about, what came after that? It took a moment longer for Isabell to remember the icy prickliness that raced through at the same time as the euphoria. It wasn't something Jason had caused, but it felt familiar to Isabell.

"Do you mean that icy tingling," Isabell asked softly.

"Yes, it feels different to everyone," Jason explained, "Now when you're changing forms, you have to focus everything on that one form. Allow everything else to slip away from your mind until there is only that form. If you start to feel that same tingliness, you're on the right track."

"I think I get it," Isabell said, scrunching up her face.

"When you're ready to try, a tiger," Jason said.

Everything went silent, as Isabell thought about her dream for a moment. She closed her eyes and tried to concentrate. Her mind was completely clear of any thoughts. It felt like she was standing in complete nothing, but there wasn't anything extraordinary happening. The longer she stood there, the stupider she felt. Making her frustration build inside her, Isabell let out a groan and opened her eyes to look at Jason.

"I don't feel anything," Isabell groaned.

"Focus on the tiger, like the one you first shifted into," Jason said "See it in your mind and it becomes one with you. Usually, a memory helps."

Mauling this over, Isabell once again closed his eyes and focused. This time a memory started to surface from when she was a child. Remembering the time when her parents brought her to the zoo, and she saw a tiger for the first time in her life. Smiling, Isabell remembered her fascination with the beast prowling before her. Aware of the danger that this creature could do to her, but her child mind held no fear. Only her want to satisfy her curiosity about this creature. The surrounding zoo faded from view, and a lush rain forest replaced it the tiger standing gracefully on a rock. Isabell froze and held that picture in her mind.

Focusing on the orange and black fur and feeling its softness under her hands. Sharp claws extended from its paws and long bleach white teeth. Hearing its ear-splitting roar rip from its chest, feeling the power and intensity that it had. In her mind's eye, the tiger began to run through the forest, and Isabell could feel each of its strong muscles, working beneath its skin. The pounding of its heart beginning to sync with hers. Feeling, seeing, and hearing the rain forest through the tiger was almost overwhelming. It was at this moment that Isabell had begun to feel a familiar sensation. The same icy tingliness that brought all of this about resurfaced through her skin. It was exhilarating, but Isabell continued to focus not wanting to lose the feeling. It felt so good it was addicting, once she got that first taste all she could think about was wanting more.

"Isabell stop, you're done it's time to let go," Jason said, but it sounded strange in Isabell's ears. As if it was miles away from her. Apart of a completely different world, separate from her own.

"Find it in yourself to let go," Jason urged.

Isabell heard him that time and struggled to make the image go away, but it stayed. As if the scene before her was searing into her mind like a branding. The tiger perched on the rock turned to her, and Isabell's eyes locked onto it. It was staring at her like it was alive, and she felt it could see her soul. The two stared each other down, fascinated with the other.

"Isabell stop," Jason said, grabbing her shoulders.

Isabell didn't even register Jason's touch. She was too focused on what was unfolding before her. Gracefully, the tiger crawled down fro it's perch and started prowling towards Isabell. There was no malicious intent, but its eyes were focused on her as if she was prey. Isabell held her breath as the tiger circled her before laying down before her feet and purred. A combination of shock, awe, and fear raced down Isabell's spine, but something told her she had nothing to fear.

"Isabell, please let go," Jason begged, gently shaking her.

Isabell stared at her new companion and reached one shaky hand out to it. It looked at her but licked her hand tenderly. Its tongue was rough from the hairs on it but was super wet like Isabell expected. Without making a conscious decision to do so, Isabel reached up and placed her hand on the tiger's head, right between its ears. A brilliant flash of light blinded Isabell and she screamed as raw power filled her body, and ran rampant through her veins. Jason struggled to hold onto Isabell, but her thrashing made it almost impossible. Not to mention her body was shifting back and forth between human and tiger. As if her body couldn't decide which form to take. Jason's power rose in response to the situation and pulsed in his head.

"Isabell, look at me," Jason commanded.

Through the wild feral haze, Isabell could see a pair of piercing green eyes looking back at her from the darkness. She zoomed in on them and thought they looked familiar. Euphoria raced through her body, drowning out the haze that had clouded her mind. Her body went limp as if she was a puppet and someone had cut her strings. The scene before her finally dissipated, leaving her in darkness and the feelings he was floating in space. Everything sounded muffled, but she could barely make out Jason calling to her. Isabell cracked her eyes open to see Jason's glowing green eyes staring down at her. Before she could take a closer look at them, they dimed back to normal. It took a moment for Isabell to realize how much taller Jason was to her. Turning to inspect her body, she had found that once again, her human body had vanished. In its place was the tiger that she had seen in her mind now resting on the ground. Isabell stood, and earth wobbled under her paws for a moment before righting itself.

"One crucial rule to remember," Jason said in a serious expression, "Is knowing when to stop. If you pour too much energy into a change, you can, and will get stuck. As I'm sure you can tell, it does drain you quite a bit."

"Okay," Isabell said, surprised at how weak her voice sounded.

The two lapsed into silence, giving Isabell some time to gather some strength back. Jason had delved into his thoughts. Jason didn't like using that ability. He didn't like the way it affected people, and a lot of the time, people got addicted to the sensations they received from it. He already had to use it on Isabell twice in two days. Most people were already succumbing to the addiction at that rate. Jason didn't want that to happen to Isabell so he shouldn't use it on her again unless he has to.

"What was going on with your eyes," Isabell asked.

"I possess the power to force people to calm down," Jason said, dread coiling in his stomach, "Like a drug so to speak."

"Is that what I experienced last night too?"

"Yes, it was."

Once again, they shifted into silence. Isabell could sense the discomfort Jason was feeling about the subjected and opted to drop it. INternally, Jason was grateful for it. He didn't want to have to explain the dangers of his ability to. It always made him sad that it could affect the people he was trying to help in such a negative way.

"Do you think you can change back," Jason asked, worry lacing his words.

"I think so," Isabell said, "Is it like changing into animals."

"Kinda," Jason said "Instead you have to focus on your human body and qualities. Emotions tend to work the best and amongst those, depression."

Isabell nodded her head and closed her eyes. This time, Isabell opted to have the power pool in her first before she tried shifting. When she felt there was the right amount to do so, she focused on her face and what it looks like when she's upset. The way the tears would roll down her face, leaving wet trails against her skin. The way her eyes glittered when there were tears left to shed. The feel of salt when they managed to get into her mouth and exploded on her tongue. Once the tingling sensation started, Isabell immediately started to back away from the image, heading Jason's warning. The feeling didn't last nearly as long this time and made Isabell feel like she was getting better. When she opened her eyes, Isabell found she was back in her own body. The last of her energy slipped away from her, and the world started to spin and blur.

"Isabell, what's wrong," Jason asked.

He sounded like he did in Isabell's vision. Like he was miles away from her, even though she was staring right at him. A feeling of light-headedness filled her head, and the ground rushed up to meet her as she fell. Jason raised his hand and softened Isabell's fall with a bed of mass as she fell into darkness. Jason kneeled, and a sad expression crept onto his face.

He hated when things like this happened to his trainees. Isabell wasn't the first, but she was, by far, the worse case. As Jason stood, branches stretched out from under the bed of moss to copy his movements. He headed towards a bed that was in the corner of the room, and the branches followed. Gently, Jason laid her down and covered her with the thin blankets. Iris appeared behind Jason, and he didn't have to turn to know she was there. As a connected Warrior and Protector, they always felt when the other was around.

"We need to talk," She said to him, her arms crossed.

"Here we go," Jason thought.