Tails of a Shapeshifter by Keith Robinson

Author:Keith Robinson [Robinson, Keith]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Tags: Action & Adventure, Boys, Fantasy, Magic, Young Adult
Publisher: Unearthly Tales
Published: 2017-11-22T05:00:00+00:00

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The shapeshifters said very little until Thomas became a manticore again, at which point he stopped shivering.

They followed the path down the snow-covered hill. Robbie sensed that everyone was afraid to ask. Or maybe it was just too early. Thomas walked in silence among them, four in front and another four behind. Darcy had already asked if he was okay, and Thomas had mumbled “Yes,” but the real question came when they were well away from Belsnickel’s cottage.

“Do you feel any different?” Abigail asked, breaking the silence.

Everyone slowed and swiveled around.

Thomas sat and curled his segmented scorpion tail around his haunches, looking exactly like a giant-sized domesticated house cat. He pursed his strangely human lips and looked off into the distance with clear, blue eyes.

Then he smiled. “I feel totally different. I remember everything as before, and I remember how angry I was at Miss Simone because I thought she’d tried to drown me, and I remember how terrified I was at being lost in a strange new world, and how sad I was that my mom and dad never came to save me. I remember all the times my manticore friends tried to get me to eat human meat, but I couldn’t. I wouldn’t. I remember everything. But I feel different about it all now.”

“How?” Emily whispered.

“I just feel . . .” Thomas frowned. “I feel like it’s all okay. Like none of that matters anymore. I just want to get on with my life now. It’s like a huge weight off, you know?”

They all stared at him.

“Like water under the bridge?” Darcy asked.

“Like you’ve forgiven everyone and everything?” Emily added.

The manticore shrugged and nodded.

“Have you turned into a big wuss now?” Fenton demanded.

Thomas grinned, showing three rows of needlelike teeth. “Maybe you should go back and see Krampus. He can take away your bad temper.”

“Yeah,” Robbie said, “and maybe then you’ll stop trying to push us around.”

Fenton immediately shoved Robbie really hard, sending him reeling. “Whoops, sorry, beanpole.” He turned his attention back to Thomas. “So you’re still the same? Just a weedier version of yourself?”

The manticore gave a nod. “Yeah. I don’t even feel like stinging anyone right now.”

Robbie knew he was kidding; as far as he knew, Thomas rarely felt like stinging anyone. Still, he did appear to be pretty happy at the moment, his mood lighter than usual.

“So, what are you going to tell Miss Simone?” Hal asked Abigail as they resumed walking. “We vanquished the beast?”

“No,” she said with a smile. “I’ll just tell her and everyone else that Krampus has a scary face but is really just a fluffy marshmallow. A big softy with a good heart. I’ll tell her everything is good and that any kid with a mean streak will soon be cured.”

“I wonder if Krampus’s power works on adults?” Dewey said.

“Wouldn’t that be something!” Abigail exclaimed.

As the sun dropped below the horizon and the biting cold cut through their thick coats and boots, Robbie looked ahead and saw the village of Carter sprawled at the foot of the hill, seemingly miles away.

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