Something was pounding. Pain she was in pain, it was possibly her head hurting but Deidre was not sure. The world around her was moving in a blur, for a moment Deidre wondered if perhaps, she was dreaming. The head ache was becoming more ugly. Go away why does it hurt so. A loud roar exploded in her ear. It continued for a while until a familiar sound could be made.
Deidre! Deidre! Deidre!
The world stopped of a sudden giving the lass a sour stomach. The roaring continued on, something was shaking her, the stomach sickness took hold and Deidre bent over retching profusely from the nausea. The roaring became more distinguishable now.
"Deidre! Wake up lass, your killing yourself!! Slow your breathing pull your shadow back in!"
Mangy cat. This mean thing was shaking her and yelling at her again and why was he here, it was her first time patrolling the boundary. Glaring at the cat, the nausea gone, she opened her mouth to give him a fuss. Before she could utter a word the massive cat shifted into a man and full strength slapped her. The hand turned again striking the other cheek.
Reality hit hard as everything came to focus. A massive monster stood before her and Guise. It was made of shadows, moving like rippling water. It held in and around it some of the men that Deidre suddenly remembered. While around them the remainder had been dismembered, completely torn apart. Guise was still yelling at her.
"Pull it back in Deidre!! It will kill us all if you do not rein it in!!"
Looking at the black mass in confusion, not knowing what she should do she whispered stop it. The shadow froze. Surprised she bade it to come back. It immediately pulled itself towards her. Reeling away from it in fear she screamed "Stop!" It froze again. Guise had jumped away and watched the process.
"Deidre, command I to return to you. It will not harm you. It can not harm you it is you. An extension if you will. Bid it to return to you, lass."
Once more with barely a whisper she bade it to come to her. It swarmed her for a moment before dissipating around her. It was out of sight but Deidre could feel it writhing about her body, her mind. It was unsettling but she felt a sense of contentment from having it return. Her sense of self had fully returned and the pounding in her head was gone.
Realizing Guise's words, it really was like a part of herself had detached and the separation caused her mind to collapse. The handiwork of her so called extension was gruesome. Every single man that had stood before her had been savagely mangled and taken apart. Looking around the women and children somehow survived the melee. Deidre couldn't remember what had happened. Guise walked up to her, his expression full of pain.
" Deidre. We must fall back into the center of the wilds. I'm taking you deeper than I've ever shown you. Your... your blood has awakened."
Pausing the shifter looked about at the women and turned back to continue when some of the women thanked them. Curtly nodding Guise transformed back into his cat form.
"Let us leave."
Without a word Deidre followed beside the cat mind in disarray. As they moved further from the humans a ragged voice called out.
" A Paladin, a Paladin still remains!! They would never dare make slaves of us if they knew a reaper still walked this world."
The cat swung around to see who had spoke. Murderous intent oozed from the cat. Bringing a hand to rest on the cat's head, the lass waited for his attention, fixing an eye on the girl Guise sighed. The lovely face of his child was haggard. In the span of several breaths the lass lost her mind, awakened the blood, lost a part of her innocence and had been thrust into the human world. They would come no doubt. She would not be able to retain what little bit of her sanity she'd retained if the cat took the lives of the humans that she had protected.
Pushing aside the murderous aura, Guise turned towards the central forest. It was time to spirit the lass away to the shadow realm. With her blood awakened, who knew how long before the bloodlust would set in. As the two moved through the trees, Deidre for a moment came to life asking a question he dreaded on answering.
"Guise. Guise who am I?"