The next day, in the evening, Rocky dressed up in the clothes that were given to him by River. Her mother had cooed and gushed about him and he could not understand why. It was just a party!
He went to the place the party was held; it was a clearing in the woods and there was a large bonfire in the middle with some shifters dancing around it. Everywhere was filled with teenage shifters and a celebratory mood rang in the atmosphere.
The music was native; it was made by some shifters who played with a drum, a flute, and a guitar, and it was quite catchy, making him want to dance to the music, but first, he had to find Ash. She was, after all, the person who had told him to come.
He found her amid some other shifters. She was dressed in a beautiful white gown, which showed her curves, and her hair was let down this time. The fire cast a golden glow on her skin, making her look so beautiful. She turned when she felt his gaze on her and smiled at him.
She walked over to him and held his hand.
"Rocky, you came."
"Yes, I did."
"Then come, let me introduce you to some other friends." She took him to the group. He recognized Fire who was dressed in a yellow gown, but Storm was nowhere to be seen.
"Everyone, this is Rocky."
"Rocky?" A male asked. He was tall about six feet, seven inches. His skin was dark brown and he sported a mohawk. His muscular skin was not hidden in the tight leather trousers and jacket he wore.
"This is...." Ash began.
"Shadow," the male interrupted. Rocky, at that moment, noticed his eyes; they were light green like the colour of leaves at the beginning of a dry season.
"He is Storm's brother," Ash said.
Three other shifters were introduced to Rocky; a male and two females. He was passed a bamboo cup with alcohol inside. He took a mouth full; it set his mouth on fire, but he managed to not spit it out and swallowed it. His chest burned but when the uncomfortable feeling had passed, he noticed the aftertaste of strawberries and burnt wood and some other ingredients he could not lay his hands on.
"It's called Mulma," she said. "It is the only alcohol that is strong enough for a shifter." She held his hands and dragged him towards the bonfire. "Come, let's dance."
At first, he was stiff and conscious of himself, but then, he started to loosen up, dancing wildly to the beat of the drums. It was the most fun he had had throughout his entire life and as he danced, watching Ash as she twirls to the music, caressing her body and twisting her waist, he felt the urge to let go, to claim something. What? He did not know, but he found himself moving closer to Ash who looked at him with shining eyes. It must have been the drink or the feeling of euphoria from the fun he was having, but he bent his head and kissed her. She kissed him back and oh, what bliss it was. He was no expert in things like this and he let her take control. Their mouth moved in harmony and his hands feverishly moved about her body, trying to feel her, to feel the softness of her body.
Sparks flew and it felt as if the ground shook beneath them. They broke the kiss, both gasping for breath. He turned around, surprised that everyone continued to make merry, oblivious to the fire the kiss had ignited. Or did he imagine everything?
He felt a chilling gaze on him and he turned towards it, only to see River looking at him with a deathly glare.
"That was good," Ash said. "If you want to, you know, continue. We could go somewhere private."
It was a tempting offer as Rocky had never been with a woman before and his body was excited and alive with pleasure from the kiss they just shared, but the look in River's eyes was unsettling, so instead, he said.
"I think I have to go now." The look of disappointment on her face was unnerving and a Rocky felt bad. "Maybe some other time," he said.
He walked down the lonely street of the village, whistling happily as he thought about the kiss, his first kiss. Suddenly, he was knocked by something on his head. He turned, holding his head only to see River fuming.
"What was that for?"
"What was this for?" She said and proceeded to knock him again but he dodged, stepping out of her reach.
"What's your problem, River?" he asked.
"I warned you to stay away from Ash, that she was bad news but you did not listen. You even kissed her!"
"It was just a kiss, what's the big deal, and besides you were not talking to me before and now you want me to drop the friend I have made because of your prejudice against her."
"I have no prejudice against her as I have known her for a long time and she is not your friend."
"Just leave me alone, okay," he said. "And this is a good time to find a husband, so why not go to the party and charm one." Hurt flashed across her face and he felt bad.
"Look, I'm sorry," he apologized.
"Forget it," River said, then she walked away from him. "One day, you would see who she is."
It was a week after the party and there was more kissing and making out between Rocky and Ash. She took him to different sites in the forest, beautiful places like a waterfall, and she taught him the most Grale he had ever learned. Rocky felt comfortable with her and told her about his mother and the reason he was looking for his father and she listened to him. She offered to help him find the bus, which she believed was in the forest.
One day, they both set out to look for the bus.
"We need to look for the trail left by the bus," Ash said.
They walked in the forest which was wet and cold due to the rain that had fallen the night before. Ash wore a pair of black cotton trousers as it was easy to move about in and it showed her round buttocks which Rocky ogled discreetly.
"So, tell me. Why haven't you shifted yet?" Ash asked.
"I don't know and you know I knew nothing about the world of shifters until some weeks ago."
"So your mother told you nothing about your heritage."
"Yes," Rocky said, dodging an overhanging branch but instead, got sprinkled with drops of water from the branches. He swore to himself as he shook himself like a dog, to get rid of the water. Ash laughed, and then she said.
"Anyway, you still have a chance to shapeshift as you are going on eighteen next month. If a shifter hasn't shifted before the age of twenty, he or she would never shift again.
"What happens to them?"
"They either leave and go to a human town or city but most do not because there is still a chance that someone who has never shifted would have a child that could shift." She jumped over a large stone that blocked their path. "Those who do not shift are called the shalors. They do not hold any important position in the shifter's society but they still keep to the ritual of the worshipping of mother Earth."
"Ritual? What ritual?" He asked.
"Every month, during the full moon, we shifters hold a ritual to mother Earth. We dance and we praise Gaia–mother earth. The full moon is in a week, so you would see what the ritual is about." They had reached a cliff and she pointed down. "Look!" The bus was several feet below, wedged between two large rocks.
"Oh my God!" Rocky exclaimed. His mind refused to think of the fact that no one could survive a crash like that.
"I don't think anyone survived this," Ash said, mirroring his thoughts.