"Spirits? What kind of spirits?" Blair cautiously asked.
"You need not know of them yet child, all I can tell you now, is you can't die here, you are the last of the Aniwaya, the clan died during a clash against another Cherokee tribe, and if you die now, both the astral plains and the world of the living will be in jeopardy"
"Ani... Waya?"
"The wolf clan"
"But, my clan is the Cherokee?"
"A branch of the tribe, you where shown mercy by your Apache father, he adopted you after they found you in a crib after the clash"
Blair's heart sank and she hung her head "Then, why drive my father's silver knife into my heart? If he showed me mercy as a baby?"
"Because they did not understand, they are oblivious to the legend, they only see the spirits of the astral plain as folklore, the Aniwaya clan where the only ones who knew of this danger, but since they are no more, it is up to you to start your own clan, and be ready to defend the living"
Blair looked up at her again "Uh, what is your name? If I may ask?"
"My name is Mai-coh, but you can call me Maikah"
"Wow, it's a pretty name, uhm, miss Maikah, if I'm here, already in the astral plain, doesn't that mean I'm already dead?"
"Yes, and no, you are passing through" Maikah said turning to look over the plains "As you can see, this part of the astral plains are for the animals, the inner ring is for human spirits, but I was waiting for you here..." The large wolf turned back to Blair "So I can be here for you, if you needed me"
Blair smiled "Like a friend?"
Maikah returned the smile "More than a friend Blair, you and I, will become one, we will share our strengths, and we will overcome the evil that lies in the future, I will guide you like a mother, once you are grown up, you will make your own decisions regarding the new Aniwaya clan"
Blair tilted her head "Become one?"
"Yes, I will now help you return to the world of the living, and you will arrive there with an absolutely amazing new ability, come Blair, let us go"
Maikah suddenly seemed like she warped, her body elongated then shifted, becoming like smoke and surrounding Blair.
"Do you accept our partnership child?" Blair heard the voice inside the smoke.
"Will I still be able to speak to you?"
"Always"
"Then yes, I do"
...
Blair opened her eyes, the cold was biting yes but it soon faded when she felt the new sensation enter her body, the wound in her chest closed up, her breath returned with a gasp.
The Apache tribesmen stood back shocked as Blair sat up, her eyes purple shining, her face expressionless.
"By the ancestors! Not even death can stop this witch!" One screamed and Blair looked at him.
"No, you are mistaken" She said, but her voice sounded more mature, more fluent and wise "The child you stabbed with a knife has passed on, but I brought her back, her destiny is not yet for filled, you nearly made a grave mistake"
The man stood back watching a shadow like fog envelop Blair, the fog grew wider and bigger, the men surrounding the altar had to back away, then when it was high above the treetops the fog took shape, a wolf, black fur and glowing purple eyes, stood looking down at them, it lifted it's paw and crushed the stone altar.
"Learn this Apache, Blair doesn't belong to you anymore, you have done well to spare her as a baby, but how far did your fear for the unknown go? So far that you ended up driving her father's knife into her chest... Farewell, speak to no one of what you have seen here, I am from the astral plain, there where you will go once you pass on, speak of me, and the gates there will be shut for you"
The wolf turned and darted into the cold night, leaving the men and woman around the altar struck silent.
Blair looked through the eyes of this wolf, the speed, the height. She felt the strength of her legs, the deep breath's going into her large lungs, as a child it seemed like a fantasy, maybe she was dreaming and will wake up on that altar again, but yet, this felt, so real and true, the wind cold in her eyes making her blink, she blinked? Wait!?
Blair stopped, pushing her paws into the ground and sliding to a halt.
"I'm, it's me?"
"Yes, you are now a great wolf"
Blair looked around her at the ground far below, she jerked her head back and watched her tail wag, she tipped an ear, then realised she's in control of that tail, Blair happily wagged it "I can't believe this!"
"You are now a guardian Blair, this world will need your aid, you will stand in front of evil, and howl it down, with snarl and fang!"
"I will do this! How can anything stop me!? Look how big I am!"
"Be weary child, you are still... A child after all, learn to be this wolf, become this wolf, it's one thing to shift into a wolf, it's another thing using it's strength with a wise mind"
Blair hung her ears "When you put it that way, it makes me afraid"
"Of what?"
"I, what if I crush someone? Or? I'm a wolf right? Wolves eat meat! What will I feed on!? What if I kill someone!?"
Maikah laughed "Relax Blair, that's is why I can still talk to you, I will hold you back from anything that is out of your grasp for now, so all you have to do is run, jump, play... Get grips on this young one, you are free"