A small figure used her frame to form a sheet tent on her small bed. Rubbing a candlewick between her fingers, she channeled a bit of her infernal bloodline to ignite a spark. Beyond the sheets a sinister red light flashed, casting shadows that morphed to form otherworldly terrors. The other orphans sleeping nearby groaned and rolled to face away; a few murmured curses under their sheets.

“Why did I have to get stuck next to the infernal runt!”

The whispers quickly quieted as Ashley covered the candle with her home-made lantern made from sticks, vines, and parchment scraps. As the others drifted back to sleep, she pushed back the covers and tiptoed over to the exterior window. She had long since learned how to weave around the floorboards that squeaked but nothing could stop the second round of groans as she opened the wooden shutters and allowed the cold breeze to invade the shared dormitory.

“Bah, hunt mice if you want, but don’t make us freeze!”

Ashley giggled at the thought of hunting mice as she closed the shutter behind her and slinked down the orphanage roof. The others might be bothered by the cold, but her body was covered in thick short fur that protected her garnet skin from the wind. With her bloodline, producing ample heat was never much of a concern; it was cooling down during the hot summer months that was a challenge.

“I wonder which direction I should wader today,” she asked herself, “If I hurry, I can probably see the Guardian Grove during sunrise. The priestesses say it looks majestic!”

She dashed across alleyways, climbed onto rooftops, and occasionally stopped to admire gardens that contained rare night-blooming flowers. Tonight she found a new favorite, a flower that changed colors from a blue-grey to a rich plum as the first rays of dawn appeared.

She wished she knew what the flower’s name was, so she could try to grow her own. It went well with fur which was predominantly deep grey with patterns of lighter shades to soften her features. Her garnet red skin would bleed through when the wind ruffled her fur, but only when there was enough light to make out the color.

As she noticed the sun begin its rise, she remembered her goal of seeing the Guardian Grove and darted away.

The grove itself is on a sacred isle formed in the middle of the river that runs through the city. Only a select few priests and priestesses are allowed to enter, as this is the home of the divine trees that bless the city’s inhabitants. The only exceptions are birthing and the awakening rituals, where those partaking in the blessing will be ferried across the river.

Ashley was scheduled to partake in the awakening ritual this spring and was eager to see where the ceremony would take place.

She used her clawed digits to climb buttresses, vines, and awnings until she finally reached the highest vantage point in the area. She sat atop a large water tower and leaned against the pointed roof and basked in awe of the view.

The entire island was veiled in a thin blue haze that rolled down from the twinkling cobalt needles of the Everlasting Father. The mother was blooming with snow-white flowers that were contrasted by emerald green leaves and bright red fruits. The two trees were wrapped together as if two serpents intertwined with their branches intermixed sporadically throughout their race towards the sun. The island itself was a massive garden of spiritual flowers that were grown by the Order of the Grove as an offering to the trees’ divine spirits. The floral patterns changed seasonally as if in an intricately choreographed dance, letting new flowers bloom and replace others that wilted.

Ashley gasped in wonder as she used her tail to pull a makeshift backpack onto her lap. She pulled out a sheet of parchment made from the skin of small game sewn together, small gourds of pigment made from swiped berries and flowers, and a paintbrush made with her own plucked fur. Using her thumb as a scaling tool, she began to paint the scene before her.

Hours later, the sun was just below its peak but the heat was already absorbed by her fur and the scorching shingles under her didn’t help. She looked around, wondering if anyone would notice her shift into her human form but didn’t have the clothes humanoids were required by law wear.

She was classified as a therian, an individual capable of freely shifting her form between a beast and a human. Therians are often confused with the more common lycanthrope, or lycan, which turned into a bloodthirsty werewolf during the full moon. Unlike lycans, therians learn to control their shifting as they age such that they can morph any or all parts of their body and can be practically any beast.

According to the priests, lycan’s are the result of a type of bloodline curse, while therians are the natural reproduction between a spirit beast that gained enough power to develop sentience and mated with one of the humanoid races.

She painted in peace for another hour after shedding her fur before a guard coughed behind her.

“Uh-hum, I know artists are a peculiar bunch but they are still required to maintain some level of modesty.”

Looking over her shoulder, she saw a harpy had landed on the tip of the roof. The woman wore a type of tank top that hung around her neck with a strap on the lower back. It allowed her to cover her human parts while still allowing her wings to move freely. Her wings were a beautiful mix of orange and red with black tips. Her lower half was that of a bird, with long tail feathers and taloned feet.

“Oh come on!” Ashley pouted, “It’s not like any humanoids will see me all the way up here, I’ll put my fur back on before I go down.”

“Do I not count as a humanoid?" She asked with a wing pointed to her chest.

“Well, kind of? But you’re not even wearing pants; you know how annoying they can be. On and off over and over. Do you know how often I need to shift just so I don’t shed at home?”

“And what if a human with angelic wings flies over, they might get offended.”

“Well surely anyone with wings will understand, you all have to wear special shirts to let your wings out.”

“What about humans working on the rooves or aqueducts? You’re not the only one up here.”

“No laborer ever complains about a good view!” Ashley said.

The harpy rolled her eyes, “Regardless, It’s my job to enforce the rules. I’m afraid you’ll have to come with me.”

“Nope!” Ashley smirked and pulled an amulet out from her bag, “I’m protected by The Budding Order.”

The amulet had a carved wooden token that depicted a budding yew from The Everblooming Mother. It was the symbol for the order of priests that oversaw the protection and integration of orphans throughout the city.

The harpy shook her head, “That just means I take you to a temple instead of a jail.”

“Fine.” Ashley grumbled as she finished packing her bag, “But you’ll have to catch me first!” She shouted before morphing into her full pather form and leaping down the rooves.

This wasn’t her first game of tag; if the guard was on foot she would be climbing up instead of down, but harpies had an advantage in the air. Instead, she dashed through tight allies between the tallest of buildings. The gaps were narrowed by jutting balconies and hanging clothes which prevented the harpies’ wingspan from opening in the confines of the corridor.

As a section of the roof’s overhang obstructed the harpy’s view, Ashley darted back the way she came before taking the first turn. She continued to dash away for a few minutes until she saw no signs of being pursued and entered a small courtyard used by the locals to play and trade. Upon seeing her favorite skewers, she trotted up to the stall.

Slices of rabbit, sugar glider, and wild hog coated in brown sugar were stacked between spicy red peppers where they slowly roasted over a smokey fire. She had made her way to this ally from the smell alone.

She slowly approached the back of the young girl running the stall, step by step, as quietly as possible. When she was just behind the girl, her jaw opened with saliva running down her fangs, and licked the girl’s cheek.

The ten-year-old squealed before spinning around with a scarlet face and a finger raised to scald the culprit but was met with the pleating eyes of a large cat with drooping ears.

“You can’t fool me, your tongue didn’t even feel like a cat’s!”

Ashley only responded by dilating her eyes and letting them dart between the girl and her desired treat.

The little vendor’s shoulders slumped, “Fine, but just one and don’t let daddy find out!”

Ashley pushed her head into the little girl’s chest and began to purr loudly before snagging two treats and darting off like the wind.

“Hey! I said one! One!"