Chapter 23: Transfiguration
After Ryker pointed me in the right direction, I walked down the path towards my next class while snacking on the chicken fingers he brought me. The path to where the class meets leads downhill towards the bottom of the slope, so I can't see where I'm heading yet. It is the middle of the day and Transfiguration is likely going to take up the rest of my afternoon. The sun is out and is streaming through the forest canopy around me, lighting the nature around me in different hues of vibrant green. There are ferns and large stones covered in lichens and mosses scattered around the forest floor.
It takes around twenty minutes to reach the end of the path where the ground levels, and when I walk through the line of trees, I see that I have arrived in a valley.
The class is another few hundred meters away, so I quickly finish up my lunch and meet with the group.
When I see Calvin standing amongst them, I walk towards him first to say hello.
"Hey Calvin," I say to him.
He looks up from the ground and his eyes clear from a distraction as he blinks a few times.
"Hi Layla, how are you?"
I shrug my shoulders. "Just peachy. Yourself?"
"I am doing well now that classes have started. The professors here, and the Headmistress are intelligent and are marvelous instructors," he answers. There is one particula professor that comes to mind that, if he left, I'm pretty sure the school would be better off. But I don't voice this opinion. "I'm only worried that two years won't be long enough to learn everything," Calvin adds, with a genuine look of concern passing his face.
He is wearing flexible black shorts and a black t-shirt similar to mine, but on his feet his argyle socks are peeking out of his sneakers. It could be because he is more lean than muscular, but his clothes don't look nearly as skin tight as mine do, which makes me frown as I look down at my bare legs. I feel a little exposed, but I assume we will be active in this course and there's a reason for the outfit.
"Ah, so I was right when I pegged you as the teacher's pet type," I tell Calvin with a raised eyebrow and smirk on my lips.
He doesn't seem offended nor amused, but seems accepting of this like it is something he has heard before.
"I have an appreciation for education and respect authority, nothing wrong with that."
"Respect, or infatuation?" I ask, and he freezes. Ah, thought so. You could hear it when he talked about the Headmistress before, when he would mention her he would speak with reverence.
"What do you mean?"
"Nothing, it's just a joke, Cal." I say while patting his shoulders. I slide over to be next to him and put my arm over his shoulders.
"So, when can you bring more of my favorite tea over?" My tea supply is getting low, and I'd rather have some on hand just in case. If I want to be able to leave this academy, I need to take my training seriously, and that includes asserting better control over my wrath.
"I have some now actually, Headmistress Nacht asked me to bring you some for this course."
Excitement lights up my face and I follow him to where he left his backpack near a tree. He pulls out a small vial that only has one serving of tea. I drink it in one sip, feeling the effects almost immediately.
"If you need more though, I need to ask the Headmistress," he says, which causes me to frown.
"Why would we need her permission?" It seems strange to me to ask her about this since it's just tea. I suppose he does take his 'respect' for authority rather seriously, or maybe he looks for any reason to talk to her. Someone's hot for teacher, I think and shrug it off internally.
He looks away and clears his throat before answering. "Everything goes through her, so it's just a precaution," he mutters nervously.
"Okay, but if you could do that, I'd appreciate it."
He nods at me, and we spend a few more minutes getting acquainted. I learn that he is from a small town in Washington and chose to become a werewolf when a friend of his offered to scratch him. He is still talking about his friend when the hairs on the back of my neck rise in unease.
I feel a pair of eyes on me, so I glance around the area to see if I can catch who is watching. The flat valley is littered in so many rocks, bushes and trees in the distance that the person could be easily hidden. The stare is so potent that I can feel it when it peruses my body, and my posture goes rigid when I feel the familiarity behind it.
The stranger is back and he is watching me.
My body comes to life and I feel myself lean like there's a subtle pull on my body towards a line of trees in the distance. I look in that direction, and I can feel it when his stare leaves because the nerves that were building inside of me retreats with a sudden force that leaves me feeling empty and cold.
"When I graduate from the academy, I'm going to go back home and work for my friend. He owns a restaurant and since I am good with ingredients, I am going to help him with the recipes and drinks." My attention goes back to Calvin as he talks with a wistful look on his face.
"That sounds great, Cal," I say idly, distracted by the loss of sensations within me. That man is either seriously messing with my head, or my werewolf transition is more problematic than I am aware of.
Calvin nods while looking to the side where a woman is approaching the group of students. "I know, having the capabilities to craft my own concoctions sounds like true freedom," he says before trailing off when the woman reaches us.
She is tall, lean but looks very athletic in her high waist shorts and crop top, leaving a small section of her toned midriff visible. Her medium brown hair fades to a lighter shade of blonde at the ends and is tied back tightly in a high ponytail. The hairstyle accentuates her sharp and dignified features on her heart-shaped face. Her eyebrows are full and bring out her dark brown eyes. Her makeup is light, but her lips are painted in red.
"Class, glad you are here on time. I'm Professor Delcour, but since we are all friends here, you can call me Genevieve," she says with a warm yet sharp smile. She seems friendly enough, but has an edge to her that makes me cautious enough to not want to get on her bad side.
"Throughout the year in Transfiguration you will be getting to know your wolf. Shifting will become second nature as you work to free yourself of the restrictions that living a human life has burdened you with. This will be your time, under my guidance of course, to liberate your wolf and fulfill your potential." Her gaze passes over each of us as she takes stock of the students she will be responsible for molding into capable werewolves. It's a daunting responsibility, but one she takes very seriously.
"Let's begin while we are still in our human form. What heightened abilities are you experiencing that differs from a typical and non-werewolf human?" She asks the class.
Calvin, the class pet he is, raises his hand so suddenly that I can feel the air move to get out of his hand's way.
"Better hearing, enhanced sight and smell. I'm also physically improved - I'm much faster and stronger," he answers when called upon by Genevieve.
"All traits of a predator," Genevieve agrees. "Our senses are heightened and we are certainly more resilient. What else have you noticed?" She asks, perusing our faces once more. "Let's hear from a newer wolf then," she adds, causing me to gulp as I see faces turn to my direction. Genevieve follows their action and when her gaze lands on me she smiles reassuringly. "Come on then, tell me what other differences you have noticed."
"Uhm, my eyes have glowed?" I ask nervously, rather than tell. Now more people are staring at me and I want to shrink back and hide, but I straighten my back and stand my ground.
Excitement lights up Genevieve's face. "Your eyes have glowed while in human form? How marvelous. A trait of a true alpha," she says like this is common knowledge. I blink and my mind is fuzzy while I think that over. Ryker neglected to mention this when he saw my eyes glow yesterday.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone