:END: LaF Audition PART 2: Arrival

I don't remember how many times I read that haunting letter, over and over. Who could have such powers as to take away something so abstract? According to the letter, I wasn't the only one, and judging by the supreme lack of care for taking away the emotions of the only thing I cared about, we would probably be fighting over our possessions.

Normally, I would have shrugged this off as hate mail and thrown it out. But this wasn't hate mail. It was an opportunity to get my brother back, metaphorically speaking of course. I couldn't screw this up…

Switching into my smaller, more compact feral form, I raced up the wooden staircase and down the left-side hallway to my room on the right. Inside was a small bed with pale green covers (the color of my brother's eyes…) and various posters plastered over my walls, mainly of bands and such. Going back to anthro form, I grabbed a small leather bag, and started packing. I packed a few shirts, two pairs of jeans, a flashlight, a bottle of water, a few snack bars, and a compass. The last thing, my daggers. They were a gift from my mom, who taught me and my brother how to use them. I was more accurate at throwing them than my brother, and twice as fast. There were twelve of them in the belt, shiny, very sharp, and deadly. I wrapped them around my waist and put a loose-fitting jacket over everything.

I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror on my wall. I stood about 5 foot eleven, with most of my body a pale sky blue. My hands were darker blue and my wrists were ringed with white. I hated white, it was part of my OCD. Nothing was ever "white enough" in my eyes, and the rings of white around my wrists were broken up by patches of skin where I would rip and tear the fur out when I was nervous or anxious. It wasn't a serious OCD case, but enough that if I was put into a room of solid white I would freak out.

Away from my troubled problems, I quickly brushed my spiky pale red and black hair, but no matter what I did it was always untidy-looking. I put the brush down and took a deep breath, trying to organize my thoughts, but one thing led to another in my head and soon it was swimming with worry. I tried to look to the positive aspect of things as I finished packing.

A great thing about my abilities is that I can basically load up my anthropomorphic form with stuff, transform into feral form for easier travel, and when I transformed back all of my stuff I was wearing previously would appear back on me. When in feral form, however, I am much more fragile, but a lot faster. I could cover a lot more distance this way without lugging the bag with me.

Before I left, I force-fed my brother some water and a bit of bread. He only responded with a "Hmph," and lay back down. "Please, Elijah, eat and drink a little while I'm gone. I know you're in there somewhere… please be okay. Shiva will watch you but you have to cooperate with her." I spoke softly to him. Shiva was a Yorkshire/collie mix and was friend of Eli's that became a lot closer to him after our mother died, and she would visit every other day to check up on him. She was the first one to notice that Eli's emotions were gone, and told me when I got back from the store. Apparently she only left the room for a few minutes, and when she came back he was on the ground, mentally dead.

I left her a swift note saying how I knew who took his emotions, and that she would have to care for him. I could trust her, she was caring and patient.
"Goodbye Eli, I'll be back, I promise."

Leaving the house, I stepped into the cool city air, a faint breeze rippling through my hair. Back in my anthro form, I checked the map and the compass. I should probably head south a few miles until I would need to check the map again.
Switching into feral form, I raced down the narrow city streets, fortunately not attracting too much attention from passerby. It wasn't long before the city building's turned to suburban homes, and suburban homes to forest. I stopped beneath a giant oak, and using my retractable claws, I climbed to the near top as far as I knew my anthro form could handle.
I changed to anthro form to check the map and compass. I was headed the right way, and looking up I could see the silhouette of a building in the distance. Glancing back and forth, I made the assumption this was the hotel. I didn't seem to have a pair of binoculars on me, and that seemed to be where the map wants me to go. It was only a good ten miles, and trusting my instinct, I set off in that direction.

Along the way, the scenery was great. There were streams, wildlife, and many different kinds of plants, some I've never seen before. My mother took us into the forest, but never this far. Every now and then I would swiftly climb a tree to check to see if I was on the right track. Before long, the building was coming up.
And then I saw it. A towering gray building clearly marked a hotel by the flickering sign near the top. Before I entered the clearing, I scanned my surroundings and the inhabitants entering the building… yes, many different animals were entering the building, all of them clutching some sort of paper, much like my map. The note was right; by the confused looks by the animals, they probably had something stolen by this "thief" too.

Not wanting to be noticed, I simply stayed in my feral form and kept my head low as I entered the building. I had never seen so many different species of animals in my life. Deer, foxes, wolves, cats, and of course numerous species of creatures I had never seen or heard of in my life dotted the hotel lobby, which was painted a drabby brown and the furniture a downy gray. It was musty yet somewhat inviting, despite the choking scent of fear and confusion by almost all of the inhabitants. I made my way to the desk, and behind it was a grizzly brown wolf.

"Whatcha wan' lil fella?" He growled.
"Uh… I received this letter and map… and well, I need something back that someone has stolen from me." I said, keeping my voice level.
"Alrigh', well ye'll find we have wha' yer lookin' fer,  but that's fer the Boss to decide for ya'll. Ya get a room ter rest, and food ter eat, and tomorrow the competition begins…" He smirked devilishly at the last comment.
I gulped, "Uhh what competition?"
"The Boss will brief ya'll, I'm sure. Here's yer room key, it's on the firs' floor here, number 012. Enjoy yer stay, lil fella." He chuckled.

Feeling more confused and nervous than ever, I grabbed the key with my teeth and waited until I was well down the hallway until I switched to anthro form, not wanting to cause a scene in front of everyone in the lobby. The room was dim, the bed was a light gray and the carpet a soft brown. It wasn't so bad; I tried over and over to reassure myself, but the same haunting feeling of nervousness kept creeping up on me like a lengthening shadow at dusk.

I don't know what horrors were to come, but I had a feeling I wasn't going to get out of this hotel without bloodshed.

But if it's to get my only remaining family member back to life, then so be it. I'll crush anyone who tries to get between us. Anyone.