Chapter Three: ...There's Fire

Draenan looked like he was about to let out a howl of help any second, but at the same time, I think both of us knew what this really was. 

The awakening of my power.

The smoke continued to billow around me and build. I felt hotter and hotter every second, like there was a fire growing in my stomach, waiting to be released. Draenan had gathered some water, just in case, but he kept a safe distance away otherwise. Eventually, the smoke completely engulfed me. I couldn't see Draenan anymore, and though I knew he was there, I was still afraid. The smoke around me heated up and turned white, like steam almost, though I still couldn't see through it. Then, the most profound thing happened. 

I inhaled the white smoke, gathered a ball of it in my lungs, and released a mighty fire ball from my mouth. It almost hit Draenan, but he had leaped out of the way just in time. When he recovered from the shock, he looked at me in a way he never had before. Not a loving way, more like he was intrigued by what was standing before him.

"What?" I asked. "Is there something on me?"

"In a way." He said. "Look in the water."

I did and suddenly it all made sense. My fur was now gray as the smoke that had engulfed me had been. Though, it did have subtle white highlights. And my paws were the same brilliant white as the smoke I had inhaled. The scariest thing though, as well as the most beautiful, were my eyes. They were now a fiery red-orange, with the deepest black pupils. 

"Wow." I said. It was the only thing I could think to say. 

  Draenan and I talked for a while, wondering why this had happened now. We weren't in danger, nor was anyone else. Though, we did realize the process was long, and I hadn't fainted. So, maybe it was different from my grandmother's power in some way. The only way we could know was if we went to talk to her.

***

  When I walked in with Dante by my side my grandmother was almost surprised. 

"Well, Hello Dante." She said.

"Hello, Mrs. Grannis." He said politely.

"You two are back so soon. I didn't expect you back until much later."

"Well, something happened that we had to ask you about."  I cut in.

Dante and I sat down across from my grandmother and told her the whole story. How we had gone to the spot where she had saved Ralphen all those years ago. And how we went swimming in the river and when we got out I was smoking, like I was on fire. And how the smoke engulfed me and eventually I shot a fireball from my mouth, and when I looked at my reflection in the river, my fur was dark gray and my eyes were the color of fire.

Through the whole story she just nodded and made little "mhm"s here and there. 

"So... what do you think?" Dante finally asked.

"I think everything happened exactly how it should have." She said.

"What do yo mean?" I asked.

"Well, I obtained my power from the stars, and in a way, the sun is star and the sun is the embodiment of fire. You are my granddaughter. It's just what I would expect to happen. The only reason you could only release that one fireball though, was because it's nighttime. Try using your power in the daytime, see if you're any stronger." 

Dante and I went silent. She was right. 

"So, if Dad had gotten the Lycan gene, then he would've have my power?"

"Yes. Then you would have had a more focused fire power. But for now, learn all you can about it."

I nodded and glanced at the clock. It was nearly eleven-thirty.

"Dante and I should be getting home." I said.

"We should, you're right."

My grandmother dismissed us, and Dante and I went our separate ways back to our homes.