The air was nice and crisp. Fall was approaching faster than Doris could register. She loved the feeling of autumn in the air. She loved the gloomy days and falling leaves. It was hard to even enjoy when her mind felt so far away from her.
Her heart was a dull ache in her chest as the scene from the bedroom kept playing over and over again just to make her feel worse and doubt herself. Maybe she was a horrible parent that couldn't be trusted with her own child.
Was she doing everything wrong? Perhaps her fears the last nine months were right. She wasn't meant to be a mother.
Fate tried to step in and let her pass on, but William prevented it. But why? To forever have someone to hate and blame?
"Knock it off and drop your stuff." Cordelia ordered. Doris found a small bench like rock and set her things upon it gently. No guard had followed her out here. They gave her one look and knew from her face that she wanted to be alone. That was a small perk of being free.
Cordelia didn't say a word as she took over control. Doris felt it erupt from her body and it was slower than when she was in a frantic state. This time she felt all the pain that came with shifting.
Once her paws hit the floor, she was off in a run. It started how it always did. Wind through her fur, she felt fast enough where no one could catch her. Leaves crunched under her feet, scenery passed her faster than light. She owned this forest when she raced through.
Cordelia led her through the trees, always knowing just where to step so she didn't fall through or end up thrown from her high.
She ran until her lungs could take no more. She ran until she was on top of the highest mountain where no one else could reach her. Once she was up there, she finally stopped to take in the view of it all. All the orange trees and small hills.
"It's a beautiful castle." Cordelia said. Doris gazed at the glorious palace and turned away from the sight to look at the sunset instead. "You know, I've been waiting a long time for this moment."
"For you to be able to run again?" Doris asked. "I'm sorry I wasn't able to let you free as much when I was pregnant-"
"Don't be sorry. I didn't want to risk it any more than you did. I would have refused unless it was an emergency."
Doris sighed and laid her wolf body against the floor. "I think I needed this. I felt so cramped up in that palace. Even though I was free, I wasn't really. There was always someone near by to suffocate me."
"There's something I wanted to show you, Doris." Cordelia said gently. "Something I've been holding back from you since we first met because I didn't think you were ready then, but I think you might be ready now."
"What is it?" Doris stood again as if to prepare herself.
"With being a white wolf, there's power that you haven't even begun to feel yet. Power no other wolf gets if they're anything but a white wolf. I didn't let you have a taste before because I was worried you wouldn't be able to handle it."
"What... what kind of power do you mean?" Doris asked. She glanced around at the peaceful atmosphere and wondered how far they were from people. Not far enough.
"Well... perhaps I should show you. But you have to keep your head above water, otherwise your control will slip from your grip. I won't be able to help you if it gets too bad."
"What are you even talking about-"
Doris suddenly felt a weird spark flare inside her. She jumped up at the feeling that started at her toes and went all the way through every inch of her. It felt as if she was electrocuted for a moment.
She went to ask what was happening again when everything brightened in her vision. She could suddenly see a bird that was miles and miles away as if it was right in front of her. She could hear-everything all at once. She heard travelers passing, animals fighting, water thrashing in the stream.
"What's happening?" Doris said above the noise but she could barely hear her own voice.
"Focus on one of the sounds. Don't let all of it have the spotlight at once, you need to focus."
Doris didn't know how to do that, it was as if it all trying to be heard and she couldn't listen to what was actually being said.
"Just one sound, Doris. Focus on one sound." Cordelia's tone was louder than all of it, but still floated away from her. She closed her eyes tightly and decided to focus on the least exhausting sound of it all.
The water stream slowly started to drown out the sounds of the travelers arguing and the animals fighting off in the distance. It emptied out the sounds as if they were no more, but somehow she knew they were still there if she wanted them to be. All she had to do was focus on that instead.
"There. It won't be so hard when you learn how to control it all." Cordelia said. She sounded almost as if she was proud of Doris.
"Is that... is that the power I've been missing?" Doris asked.
"No, no. This is only a sliver of what you can do. If I let all your power out at once without understanding it, you would lose control."
Doris shifted the sound to the travelers. She could hear them so clearly as if they were right in front of her. Apparently they had made the wrong turn and now they don't know how to get back to their village. She shifted to the next noise and heard the animals finally break apart and run as far as they could from each other.
"It's... incredible. I can hear all of it and none of it if I wanted."
"Many wolves have that ability, but only yours is the best. Only you can see things from miles away and know what is to come before it ever arrives." Cordelia explained. Doris started to venture down the hill towards the palace again.
"Now, let me show you something a little more before we get back."
Doris was about to ask what before she felt that shock ripple through her again. Cordelia pushed her and her feet took off in a bolt unlike anything she had experienced. Her paws glowed in the dark trees and made her feel invincible.
That small ounce of power ripped through her as she sprinted. Bushes ripped from the ground as she passed, trees bent the opposite way just to be free of her before she rushed past. Everything felt afraid of her as she moved.
Just a small bit of power made her feel as if she could make the world bend its knee for her.