The two pops of the gun resounded loudly in the stilling evening air. Dandy’s warmth quickly fled her cloak with the sound. The figure she had targeted yowled once loudly clutching its chest and took two steps forward then started slowly falling to its side; blood was pumping wildly from its wounds. The moment seemed to drag forever to Moira. It was like the world was moving through molasses. Oh my God! I shot a living, intelligent, creature. She amazingly found the time to think, as her mind stutter-stopped: failing to line up the next target.

“Shaman!” One of the creatures yelped and dove towards the nearest tree. Its other companion was a half-moment behind it.

The shout broke Moira from her momentary shock and horror, and she shook her head as her stomach dropped. Shit! Get your shit together girl. You lost your surprise! She berated herself as she tried to line up her shot on another of the creatures. Of the two that had taken cover, she could see a foot and arm from one, and a sliver of the back of the other. The smaller wounded one hadn’t moved. She took aim at it for a moment, but dismissed taking the shot, as it seemed to have passed out from blood loss, and hadn’t budge from its spot. It was still where she saw it, when she first got to the site.

It took her a few moments to realize that the creatures didn’t know where she was yet. She decided to hold her fire and remain as still as possible to see if they would make a move.

It was only minutes later, spent waiting patiently, when they started to bicker. A lot of it was too fast for her to pick up clearly. It seemed she only understood words she had heard before, so there was a lot of blanks. But the gist, if she got it correctly, was they were trying to determine their pack rank now that she had shot their leader. They were getting nowhere fast. The leader was clearly dead now; laying still in the snow where he had fallen.

Moira found herself forcefully stifling giggles at the absurdity of the situation. She desperately wanted to just pinch herself and wake from this ridiculous nightmare. But she kept her head, and kept her grip on her gun: panning back and forth between the two trees her foes were hiding behind.

The figure tied to the tree was moving, trying for a better view. She noticed when she glanced over their spot; in her effort to keep the whole situation in focus. She could now see they looked a lot like a humanoid brown bear. Its face had the distinct snout and eyes.

What the hell is going on.

Focusing back on the, clearly, most dangerous figures behind their trees, she waited patiently. Only a few heart beats passed before, to her horror, a distinct and clearly recognizable sound of the email notification on her phone rang out into the stillness. The bottlecap plunk, held in the air for one agonizingly long moment, before both figures burst from their cover and charged straight at her hiding spot.

Moira quickly chose a target and pulled the trigger rapidly a few times. One round missed entirely and another glanced off a strip of metal armor the figure was wearing. Luckily the third took it in the throat. It only took a few more steps before the damage the hollow-point round had done forced it to its knees with both hands gripping its ruin of a neck.

Her hesitation, watching it go down, cost her, however. As she turned to aim at the second figure it was almost on top of her and she only managed to get a single round off. Luckily it hit in the creature's upper leg and it stumbled forward to slam bodily into her instead of sinking it spear into her prone figure.

As its weight crashed onto her, her head was slammed into the ground and her vision went blurry. She was dazed momentarily and lost her bearings. Her gun slipped from her hands falling into the snow.

She was flipped over to stare into the terrible muzzle of the creature above her. It quickly grabbed her left arm and pined it.

“Ugly human Shaman! I’m going to eat you slowly.” It snarled in glee, trying to get her other arm. She struggled and squirmed. The creature laughed at her efforts and punched her in the ribs, hard. There was a wet crunching sound and her breath hitched as the pain whited out her vision.

“Weak human bitch. Which tasty finger should I start with?” It was asking itself, when she could focus again. It must have been only moments. She started to struggle again; receiving another vicious blow. This time to her hip. She went limp crying in vain. Her chest was a mass of pain and sharp pain.

Her head was foggy and it took her a long while to realize her captor's speech was starting to fade a little. This, however, didn’t stop it from contemplating her fingers.

“No! I will take you to the Chief. He would like it if I bring him a Shaman slave.” It said after some thought and indecision about her fingers. It sat back onto it heels and stood shakily, its wound seemingly completely ignored.

“You stay here, and I get collar!” It announced suddenly. It took two steps before turning back to her and leaning down once more to delivered yet another blow. This time to her other hip. “There, you no run now.” It declared as Moira curled into a ball of pulsing agony.

The pain came in waves and it took her long minutes before she could get a grip on her pain and force herself to roll over. It took another agonizing period of time before she realized her gun was still in the snow close by. She started to tentatively feel around in the snow. She found it quickly and brought it up across her chest, in shaky hands, to aim back towards the creatures’.

She stared in incredulity at the body of her tormenter lying face down in the snow only yards from her; chest moving up and down very minutely. Its leg was covered in blood and a pool was quickly forming in the snow under it. She just stared at it for a while. Its chest was gradually slowing and Moira watched for agony filled minutes, before it finally stilled.

“Ha, take that, you flea bitten mutt!” She tried to shout, but it only came out at half volume as her chest constricted in agony. She barked a laugh and the pain knocked her out.

She came to, to a pressure pressing against her hand. She craned her neck to look down and found Dandy pushing his head into her hand.

“Hey there big guy.” She said as tears flowed down her face, and agony racked her. “I think this is officially the worst day of my life.” Another stitch in her side made her whimper. “Yep, definitely.”

She just lay there staring at the canopy overhead as the pain went from sharp to a deep persistent ache. Once she started thinking she should do a better job of pulling her cloak about herself, she figured it was about time to try and move. Carefully.

She rolled onto her good side and struggled to a sitting position. Taking in her surrounding, she was relieved to find everything had been as it was before she passed out. The one possibly living, untethered creature was still slumped where it was before and the beast-person was still collared and tied to its tree now studying her intently but remaining quiet.

She let out a painful sigh and cursed her luck. Sooo fucked. Take a deep breath girl. She told herself and did just that. Can still breath properly at least; might only be cracked. Legs and hips now. She slowly prodded her legs and hips while moving them slowly; finding them very tender. Doesn’t feel like anything is broken; thank God! No open cuts at least. The cloak really helped.

Once she had taken stock of herself, she shimmied over to her ruck and dug into a pocket; fishing out her phone. Now HOW THE HELL DID I GET A FUCKING MESSAGE! In a place where people still fought to the death with swords and fucking spears! She screamed in her head. It was only with a conscious effort that she didn’t do it out loud: scared she might attract more of the beasts.

Sure enough, when she opened it, her email notification icon showed she had a new message. What the actual fuck? Animal people and email ha! She thought before aggravation and a bit of curiosity coerced her into opening the message. She read the message, her confusion, dismay, and anger rising with every word.

Moira.

I’ve never taken TWO people from the same family before. This is so exciting! You should have had time to realize you're ‘not in Kansas anymore’, as your people like to say. So, here’s the deal. First off, I must apologize, I never take people as old as you; less malleable and able to adapt you see. So, since you were so kind to show up nice and early, and brought such nice items of disruption, I’ll reward you four things and a bit of advice.

First: the first language you hear ten or more words of, you will understand like a native speaker, after a good sleep. You might understand a little as you hear it but no guarantees. Oh, bother, really? Tribal Gnoll? That, is, unfortunate. Hmm, I’ll have to remove my idea for your gun, and give you a second instead. Do be careful this time.

Second: you will be an Enchanter the next time the moons align. If you don’t die and can figure out how to activate it. Congrats! Don’t starve.

Third and now final: That beautiful tattoo, of skulls and flowers, is now your brand. Its suspicious if someone has wealth and doesn’t have one. I tied that wonderfully loyal and loving cat of yours to it and the new image of him I created on your left thigh. Who ever heard of a loyal cat? Go familiar! Don’t worry you will thank me eventually; maybe. Either way I don’t care.

Anyway, now some advice, words of wisdom?

Hmm, oh, right! Now that the cat is your familiar you share your lifespan with him. Which I reset for him, he's like 2 again now.

The niece you so desperately seek, is within 2000, of the measure you know as miles, of your current location. At least you’re on the correct world now! Happy adventures.

I think that’s everything. Hmm it likely doesn’t matter if I forgot something.

Now, I'm giving you more help than the usual tripper. Well, I usually give them nothing, so don’t go wasting it by dying on your first day. It’s too bad you all have that pesky free will thing. I’m rambling. Have a good life, or something. In case you’re wondering I do this because it’s exciting: people always ask or curse the sky about it.

P.S. Maybe shut off your phone. You idiots always regret that.

P.P.S. You’re welcome: for the ruck.

Regards

“What, the, fuck, does any of that mean!?” She cursed the sky; her ribs making her pay for the outburst. At least she knew the creatures were called Gnoll’s. Wait! New ink? She thought in momentary panic. Anything done by and egotistical ass like that is bound to be bad! She struggled with her belt and quickly, despite the pain, pulled her pants down and looked at her thigh.

She sighed and frowned, studying the image. The was tattoo a very lifelike depiction of Dandelion chasing his tail continually around her leg: in about the place a bride would wear her wedding garter. I don’t know whether to be disturbed or impressed. She thought looking at her new ink. No, that is the coolest thing I have ever seen. It’s a moving tattoo! After a thought she quickly pulled her jacket off and rolled up her sleeve to look at her memorial tattoo.

Wow, she thought; studying the image. The flowers now looked real and vibrant with life; almost growing out of her arm. They are swaying!

“I’m definitely not on earth anymore.” She said and gave Dandy a scratch. To her surprise and stunned shock, she could feel his pleasure as her own.

“Era uoy gniog ot eunitnoc ot sserdnu? Ti si elbasivdanu ni siht rehtaew.” The bear person spoke, its deep voice carrying clearly, and she looked over in disbelief.

Shit I hope that is a useful language! She panicked a little.

“Best day ever.” She muttered sarcastically; putting her head in her hands. The movement made her groan painfully.