Kataryna stared at herself, and herself stared back. She did not know if she really liked looking at herself, not this way. The changes were frightening, to say the least. Who was she now? Her fur had faded to the colour of starlight, an overall silver which seemed to sparkle under the lamp light. Her face looked the same - the same short muzzle and black patches, but the eyes.
Oh lord, the eyes.
For now they were not the gentle blue of the ocean but a dark evergreen flecked with gold. This morning they had been twilight purple. The iris colours changed with her emotion. She shuddered. So what emotion was this? Dark, aside from reality. Lost. She stepped back, experimentally spreading one wing. They obeyed her muscular commands in much the same way as her arm would bend or her toes twitch. She had complete control over them. She spread them wide, white feathers glinting. Could she fly? They looked big enough and they responded to the commands of her brain. But how did one fly? Who could she ask about such a thing? Maybe she should try and find an Avian. They were rare in these parts, for sure, but if anyone knew, they would.
She folded her wings again - so bulky, so obvious. How was she supposed to go about her job subtly with these bloody great wings? Hell, she had to walk sideways through narrow doorways! Halloween parties were all well and good - but what about in everyday life?
She padded over to the bed, looking down upon her cloak. Reaching down she pinched the pale hair between her fingers, holding it up to the light. It was so pale it was practically translucent - one of Arron's. The mirror knew secrets, this she had been told, but Titus knew not how to operate it. Well, here she had a piece of Arron's DNA - maybe she could find out more about that odd vision.
Or she could just do nothing, curl up and go to sleep and pretend that there wasn't something weird going on.
No, of course she couldn't - Arron had asked her for help (hah, almost threatened) and she had been sent the vision for a reason. She must be required to help him.
Wit a deep, long suffering sigh she stepped up to the mirror. The wooden casing was carved in an array of faces, hands, paws, wings. She was sure it must tell such tales, but she knew not how to make sense of them. There was one hand reaching out from the wooden casing, palm open as though to accept something.
Well, there was no harm in trying - right? She placed the hair gingerly on the hand. Slowly, with a slight creaking, the fingers coiled inwards, closing about the hair, and her reflection blurred and changed.
She was staring at Arron, but not Arron as she had met him earlier - a much younger Arron, all pale fur and glasses. He was running, behind him, in hot pursuit, three Mustelids - a Badger, a Skunk and a Sable. Their lips moved - they were clearly shouting at him but whether it was offense or a warning, Kataryna could only guess. Mirrors did not have sound, merely picture.
Then the young Lemur stumbled on something, falling face first into the mud and instantly the three Mustelidae were upon him. He was picked up, flailing, kicking, struggling AND biting, but all to no avail. A moment later he was flung into a pool, fully clothed. He could clearly not swim, but floudered and struggled whilst the three Mustelidae laughed and clapped and mocked his struggles.
This was all very educational, Kataryna decided, but she could hardly change an event that had taken place so far in his past. No, she had to see the future as it was intended for him here and now. Surely the carvings must contain the means. She ran her fingers down the carved faces, and then found it. A dial - well, more an arrow that rotated really. She twisted it slowly and as she did so the images on the mirror flickered, fast forwarding through Arron's life.
She stopped at the image of Arron sitting on his window ledge, legs dangling outside, and gazing down at the aftermath of the party. It had been early when Kat had left and the merriment still plainly continued, but even though it was Arron's party, the albino was not appearing to enjoy it. He looked so sweet and sad perched there that Kataryna knew she had to help him.
Dare she twist the dial further?
She dared, twisting it slowly but dilligently keeping an eye on the mirror. As soon as she saw the tell-tale flash of black she stopped and twisted it back. It took a while for her to find the right position.
Arron and Aranaya were walking up to a door. They were talking amitably to one another, but paused as they saw the door. It was slightly ajar. This appeared to startle them somewhat and they had a heated, but quick, discussion. Aranaya nodded and dashed away, maybe to call for help? But Arron, with rather foolish bravado, pushed open the door and crept in. The house was a shambles - the couch had been slashed open, books torn from the shelf and flung in heaps on the floor. Some were smouldering slightly. Arron stepped back at the sight, jaw dropping, and would have bet a hasty retreat had something dark not dropped behind him, blocking the doorway. For a flash of a moment Kataryna caught a glimpse of red eyes and black fur and long fierce teeth. Then the mirror was spattered with red.
Even though albino, his blood was no less red.
Kataryna slammed the double doors closed across the terrible sight. She fell onto the bed, colour draining from her face so she was as pale as the albino herself.
He was going to die - murdered by a robber.
But when? And why? She needed more answers. Destiny, she was sure, would be hard to change.
But she would do it.