Of Hearts and Stripes

Were you ever told those stories? You know the ones that were meant to scare you at night when you were kids? To make or prevent you from doing something? I bet one of the stories you were told the most was of Skinwalkers that would kidnap and kill those of you that would do bad things. I was told the exact same stories about Weretigers, Werebears, Werewolves, etc. I of course never really believed it until the day my family was killed. I of course didn't see them as bad; I saw them as my rescuers from my family. Because sometimes family will hurt you more than the people in the stories you are told. My family never found out I betrayed them, until the day they died. Since 100 years ago, I've lived on my own, hiding in the woods. The world changing, both good and bad.

I stood at the edge of the woods, watching the teenagers leave the school, before I noticed the young group of tigers, walking my way. They all grinned when they saw me. After all the hugs and treats I received, we began the hour walk through the woods. The young men didn't like the bus; I never understood the reason why. They were telling me about this big project coming up that counted as part of their final grade, and that they all had been grouped together. They had to learn about a species that wasn't a Weretiger. History and Biology together, that was new. Before I knew it we had arrived at the edge of the woods on a street surrounded by the woods. A group of men ran over worried.

"Didn't your teacher tell you to take the bus or get a ride back? Hunters were seen in the forest early this morning." One growled, looking pissed.

I lost interest in the conversation as I smelled Hogweed, I could tell the Weretigers were getting lethargic.

"Gamma, we can't mind link anyone." One of the other men coughed.

This was bad, I let out a growl nudging the men. Though Skinwalkers were the enemies of everyone, I was not going to be like my people. I was going to protect those who needed it. When they wouldn't move, I shifted into my human form, slipping on the sweatshirt that was tossed at me.

"We need to leave now, I will deal with my people, if they follow us." I told them, as I glanced back. The Skinwalkers weren't here yet, but they would be soon.

"Who are you?" The Gamma asked, with shock and confusion.

"Beau Oaklee, the girl who betrayed her family." I replied, before I began pushing them again.

They did their best to run, despite the hogweed in their system. We stopped when the Skinwalkers appeared surrounding us. We were in the middle of the street surrounded by houses, that had worried men, women, and children looking out the windows. With a flick of my wrist curtains and blinds were closed.

"I really hate having to do this," I said, before I took my pelt out of the backpack of Ian, one of the teens.

"You let an enemy touch your pelt?" One of the Skinwalkers growled.

"I trust them, with my life." I snarled, as my magic burned the sweatshirt off.

I put my pelt on and shifted not into my full dog form. I looked back at the teens, before I attacked the one nearest to me. I had managed to rip out his throat, even as the others began to tear into me. I kept fighting though I was hurt, I was healing fast, it was a perk of being a female Skinwalker. Blood, fur it was all a blur, as I chased after the last Skinwalker of the group. I shifted back into my human form, and I jumped onto the Skinwalkers back, ripping his head off, as a pissed and angry howl left me. He had killed his family, his mate. I fell to my knees, not caring of the blood. I ripped his heart out and looked down at the pavement. Magic turned my veins black, as I bowed to the ground, holding the heart close to my own. I could hear gasps and whispers, the sound of a car door slamming shut and shouts.

"May misfortune and pain fall upon the evil of their bloodlines," I muttered, before I sat up lifting the heart to the sky. "Forgive me for breaking my oath." Then I bit into the heart, not caring for the blood running down my skin.

When I was finished, I closed my eyes.

"Oak Tree." I heard Ian and the other teenagers shout.

I snapped my eyes open to see them, now standing in front of me, with the Gamma, and three others.

"Did I ever tell you how much I hate that nickname?" I asked with a weak smile.

"We can come up with a new one," David said, with a laugh.

"No, I like Oak Tree. You guys can still call me that." I whispered, as I slipped on Davids sweatshirt. "I am sorry you all had to see me like this."

"What was that thing you did bowing to the ground?" One of the new men asked.

"Old ritual that most don't do anymore. We do it before eating any hearts of any kind, including candy ones."

We held hearts sacred, both ones we eat and the ones we don't. I only ever lost one heart that I held sacred. My mates heart. It was either his heart or the hearts of the innocents he was going to kill. So, I killed him, but these tigers didn't need to know it yet.