Chapter Eleven

Armand comes up with a possible reason for Quetzal's changed behavior.

    I looked at Quetzal. He looked angry, very angry. I’d never seen him like this before. He was snarling quite effectively in his Human Form.

    Miss Feather made a soft gasping sound.

    Mr. Thunder just looked unpleasantly surprised.

    “Quetzal. Calm down.”

    Quetzal jumped up with an angry growl. “This talk is silly. Let’s just go out there like we said we all would and find out who or what is out there!”

    I looked up at Quetzal, forcing myself to stay calm myself. “Why don’t you sit down again Quetzal and let’s all just have a rational discussion about this.”

    He glared down at me. On his face I could see a visible struggle. I noticed his fists were clenched.

    He looked like that human myth of the werewolf my Mom often talked about as I and my twin Wolf Brother and Wolf Sister were growing. Except Quetzal was still in his Human Form but he did look terrifying. I doubt any human seeing him right now could possibly mistake him for anything but a werewolf!

    But he didn’t terrify me. I knew Quetzal too well. This wasn’t him. Something really was wrong with him and I knew it had something to do with that weird structure we’d seen. And what ever Quetzal had seen as he’d looked through that window.

    Suddenly Quetzal sat down again. He glared at us each in turn. When his grey eyes settled on me I could see the smoky crimson of his anger swirling in their depths.

    “You’re not alright Quetzal; I hope you can realize that.” I said to him.

    He snorted again and looked toward the shadowy forest.

    “He’s getting dangerous.” Miss Feather said softly to me.

    I cringed inside. How could she think Quetzal couldn’t hear her words?

    Quetzal snarled and glared at her. “I’m dangerous am I now Miss Feather?”

    I felt alarmed for her safety. “Just don’t say anything more Miss Feather.”

    Staring at Quetzal with wide eyes but not frightened eyes, she nodded. Then she looked away.

    “I don’t know about this idea of watching the structure.” said Mr. Thunder. “I just don’t think it’s a good idea anymore.” He glanced at Quetzal as he said this, then looked quickly away.

    Seeing the condition Quetzal was in I had to agree. I didn’t want to end up in that condition as well and I sure didn’t want Miss Feather or Mr. Thunder to either. And I knew they didn’t want me to or themselves to.

    “We are going.” said Quetzal. “And we’ll just watch if that’s what you three want. Three against one, you know, voting wise and all.”

    I wanted to say no just then but looking at Quetzal’s grey eyes swirling with the crimson of his anger I decided it wasn’t a good idea.

    But going back to that structure wasn’t a good idea either. The question was how to get out of it?

    I couldn’t think of any way. Perhaps Miss Feather or Mr. Thunder could think of something and hopefully fast!

    “I think we need to tell our Packs about this.” said Miss Feather. “I realize no one wants to but…”

    “But what Miss Feather? Why should we inform our Packs?” Quetzal asked in an unfriendly tone of voice.

    “Look at you!”

    Quetzal snarled at her again.

    “Okay. Okay.” I said shifting slightly so I was partially between Miss Feather and Quetzal.

    I was glad to see Mr. Thunder likewise putting himself partially between Quetzal and Miss Feather as well.

    “Miss Feather.” I said, hoping she’d stay quiet this time.

    “Forget her!” Snarled Quetzal. “I’m returning to investigate that structure. I thought we were all together on this, being friends and supporting each other. Was that all a lie?”

    “Of course not!” I said.

    “You’re not acting like yourself Quetzal.” Mr. Thunder said. “You’re not behaving like a friend would. You’re not behaving like our friend Quetzal at all.”

    “I’m not, huh?”

    “No you’re not. Believe what I’m telling you.” Mr. Thunder said. “Ever since you went and looked into that odd building you haven’t been acting like yourself.”

    Quetzal looked at us each in turn. The look on his face said he didn’t believe us, the look on his face said he was about to become verbally combative again and then suddenly something changed.

    Quetzal’s face crumbled just a little bit, he looked like he was going to cry then he got control of himself.

    He took a deep breath as if he were going to speak.

    I waited. Miss Feather and Mr. Thunder watched him and waited.

    Quetzal blew out a breath of air then ran his fingers through his shaggy blonde hair.

    “I haven’t been feeling the same since that…experience. It’s as if something is inside me...irritating me all the time.” He looked at us again, one at a time.

    “What do you mean?” Mr. Thunder asked. “Something’s inside you?”

    “It’s not like something physical.” said Quetzal. “Yet something is there that wasn’t there before. Something that shouldn’t be there.”

    I looked at Miss Feather, then at Mr. Thunder. I wondered about that. I remembered how he looked and behaved like he was very distracted while he had been looking through that window.

    Perhaps he hadn’t been looking at anything at all. I wondered.

    “What are you thinking Armand?” Miss Feather asked me.

    Now everyone was looking at me.

    “Perhaps Quetzal has been infected with something, something that isn’t physical like a parasite but something mental…” I said, thinking about it as I spoke, trying to formulate in my mind exactly what I was thinking but couldn’t quite grasp it yet.

    “What do you mean?” Quetzal leaned toward me a little. “What are you thinking Armand?”

    “Well, it’s something my Mom spoke of, not often but I remember. She often told me and the twins stories of her human life.” I said.

    “What about her human life? How does that relate to me?” Quetzal asked.

    “Tell us what you’re thinking Armand.” said Miss Feather.

    “Just as long as you realize I’m not trying to say this is what happened to you Quetzal but it’s just something that I thought of…because of the situation and your altered behavior.” I said.

    “Okay, I agree.” said Quetzal.

    They were all staring at me, waiting so I blurted it out. “Quetzal is acting as if he’s had a spell placed upon him.”

 

  

Reviews

[Theresa]

I like how Armand seems to be taking the part as pack leader among the group following in his fathers footsteps. A spell was the last thing I was expecting and is very interesting if that will be the case. I like how Armand talks about his mother and recalls the stories she told him of her human life. It's nice to see Lousie still being mentioned and how she obviously didn't completely forget her life as a human as she had shared it with her children. I agree with Jemane very intriguing indeed.

[Black Cat Fever]

I conclude there is something very Dark and suspicious about all this.

[Jenny Nelson]

Very intriguing. The storie's moving along really well. Nice job with this!

[Star Wolf]

A spell? What kind of spell? It could be possible. Something does seem off with Quetzal.

Spell? Hm, unlikely. Quetzel appears to have been infected with something, or possibly it's all in his head. I guess I'll have to wait to find out. Great work so far.