Like mother like son [Artemis]

Shael sniffed the air lightly, head cocked to the side as he considered that scent for a second. Something about it as familiar and at the same time it was so…foreign. He was dressed in a simple puke green jacket with a black shirt underneath and camouflage cargo pants, all of which suited his twelve year old frame. It was a dark green forest, one where nature reigned supreme. He was perched upon a branch, crouching as one hand was placed upon the rough bark and the other was stretching out to the side. ”It’s around here, this smell.” He muttered, it reminded him of Fera in a way and yet it lacked the smell of daddy that she also carried, it was like one half without the other. Like earth and something else, raw flesh mixed with incense. As if the earth itself was moving, taking the form of a sentient being.

Within an instant his clothing seemed to morph along with him and formed into a bird that flew down to the forest floor and then switched into a wolf. A dark colored wolf with a the color of silver running along that dark colored fur, along with what looked like splotched of tan and brown. A black wet nose sniffed the air ever so slightly as the ruffling of something could be heard, as if perhaps another animal were moving about the forest; a deer. Without even thinking about the scent that he was following, Shael darted after this strange deer that was so nearby. Leaves crunched under its padded feet as it darted forward. The deer came in sight and began to run, so the chase was on.

Artemis ran through the wood, constantly shifting in between different form to traverse the twisted landscape. Her prey was simple, a deer. It was one of the only things Artemis could constantly hunt around here and despite Salone and Penny telling her that they no longer needed the meat because she was hunting faster then they could eat she still went hunting almost every night. She loved the thrill of the hunt. Her senses where on edge and her blood pumping as she chased her prey. However she would be reluctant to admit that the hunt was getting stale. Chasing the same thing had no challenge, especially when it never fought back and only ran. But she wouldn't inconvenience her pack for her selfish desires for a greater hunt. At least not yet.

Artemis was closing in on her prey when she picked up the scent of another. It seemed vaguely familiar, but regardless she didn't appreciate another competing for her prize. She could always hunt this deer down later, she has it's scent. Shifting into a wolf she targeted the stranger who was after her same prey. As soon as the competition appeared in her sight she pounced on him. Attempting to pin him down. Her mouth was only a few inches above the other wolf's throat. But then Artemis realized something. This was only a pup. Why would a pup be here by itself. "Why are you here, where is your pack. This is my turf." growled Artemis as a wolf, not moving away from her current position. If any human were to hear what Artemis would say it would just sound like a bunch of growls and low barks.

The soft press of padded feet against the leaves that decorated the ground were loud within Shael’s ears as he dashed through the forest, after the deer that was unfortunate enough to be caught within his sights, However what he did not expect was the wolf that jumped upon him, rolling the smaller wolf over as it left out a small yelp, and was pressed onto its back. Small black eyes looked up to the wolf that had forced it onto its back, tails curling between its leg as Shael instantly found himself afraid of what had caught him. Teeth were at his throat and he knew that he could have been killed instantly if this woman wanted to. ”Pack?”” he said, though it would have sounded like a low whine to anyone that did not understand the wolf speak. ’I don’t have a pack.”

"No pack? Hard to believe. A little pup like you has no pack." growled Artemis, again in only a way other wolfs would understand. The wind picked up again and the pups scent crossed her nose again. However this time she picked another scent on the pup. Michael? Why would this pup have his scent on him. Artemis shifted into her human form. Her hand grasping the pup before he can make a run for it.

"Spill it! Why do you smell like Michael if you have no pack." Growled Artemis, tightening her grip on the pup.

Shael was unsure how to answer the question spat at him through the wolfish tongue. The growl alone made the wolf cub shrink back against the harshness of it, as if expecting the wolf to snap and rip his throat from his body with a quick motion. Within an instant the wolf shifted and then became what looked like a woman, naked however something about her smelt familiar. A name was spoken than made Shael pause as she once again held him down and within an instant he took on his humanoid form, the dark haired male looking deeply into her eyes for a moment. The grip around his throat tightened, and the male found himself more uncomfortable and feeling as if the woman would crush his throat. ”H..how do you know my daddy?” He asked through pain breaths.

So the boy was a shapeshifter, interesting. Explains why he claimed to have no pact. Although the name did ring familiar with the boy. It would surprise her if it didn't. Although she didn't expect what he said. "Someone mated with him?" said Artemis raising an eyebrow. This kid looked like he was 12. Even if this kid had mated with some poor girl this boy would have to be a lot younger. Micheal looked 17 at the oldest, there was no way this kid could be his. "Yeah right, you are way to old to be his kid. Tell the truth."

Somehow this woman knew his daddy, and that meant that she was either some kind of ethereal, or a metahuman he had met sometime before. Shifting into the form of a fly, Shael moved from the grasp of the woman and turned back a few feet from the angry female, landing on all fours and a low growl rippled from his mouth. ”Well yeah someone mated with him…I think.” Shael thought over this and shuddered at the thought of someone mating with his dad, if only because…well that was his dad. Besides, he thought that Spellstone character was a mate to him or something like that, the way that he seemed to act when speaking about him, and how he snapped a little at Fera for it. Her saying that he was too old to be Michael’s child confused him however, considering that he was not old at all. ”And I am telling the truth.” He added.

The kid shifted and escaped her grasp. Other then Salone and Fera she never really dealt with very many shapeshifters and usually Salone was to busy to spar. Although this kids story was hard to believe. "Uh-huh." said Artemis. It was really obvious she didn't believe him. "What your name and why are you here." demanded Artemis. She didn't like intruders on her turf, plan and simple.

Of course she would know nothing about what he was, or how he was Michael son, she was just a human. Most humans did not understand the ethereals, let alone how they reproduced, not that he did either. As far as he was concerned, it was some kind of wonderful magic that allowed his dad to have him and Fera. It was the tone within her voice, as well as how she shifted that gave it away that the woman did not believe him, but he did not really have the time to explain everything. ”My name is Shael and I was hunting, until you came along anyway.” He added the last part with a slightly resentful tone within his voice, eyes narrowing as he looked upon the woman in question.

"Well Shael you are not very smart are you." said Artemis slowly walking towards the boy. "You want to go hunting so what do you do? You go where ever you want and think it's ok? Well my little shapeshifter, you are wrong. So wrong. But do you know what, you at least know Micheal. So you'll be able to return to him afterwards, just barely at least." Artemis went from her slow walk to a full out sprint, shifting into a wolf as she did. Now fulling out charging at this other shapeshifter. She had been restless and she had given up the dear to figure out who was hunting on her turf. Although she doubted that this pup would but up much of a fight.

The boy could smell it, a strange radiant scent among the air and see it within the way that she was walking, the woman intended to attack, her own body giving that away before she did so. ”No, you’re wrong.” He muttered taking a defensive stance, preparing for the worst and it did come. Forcing all of the strength into his legs, Shael leapt upwards and within an instant he shifted, transforming into a bird that quickly ascended, landing within the nearby tree before returning to his humanoid form. So this woman was trying to kill him now? He had practiced fighting some, but it was obvious when it came down to it that Fera was the better fighter, he was… sub par. Diving down, he shifted into his wolfish form, aiming to bite down upon the females back, that usually worked as a place to attack.

The boy flew up into the air as a bird. Although Artemis decided against shifting and chasing after him. However she watched him. If the boy though he could take her he would attack. And she was right. The boy dived at her and if he was like her he would shift into a force that would do damage. It made the most sense, why hit someone as a bird when you could hit them as something even slightly heavier. However it was a risky move. Artemis waited for Shael to get closer. Right as he was a few feet above her. Artemis darted out of the way, turned around and jumped to tackle Shael. If she succeeded, she would bite down on him. Not hard enough to deal serious hard though..

Paws met with the loamy earth, missing the large she wolf by only a few inches, and with not enough time to really react other than turn towards the female as he was tackled against the ground, and teeth tore into flesh. The wolf let out a yelp of pain, and within an instant he shifted, turning into a small but swift skittering rat that darted out form under the larger predator. Swiftly shifted into a bird of prey, or a hawk to be more precise. The avian creature flew about in the air, going for a more mobile tactic than simply attacking her head on as a wolf, swooping down on the wolf with claws that were aimed to tear through flesh as well as anything else that got in their way; talons sharp as razors.

The boy had escaped her bite. He didn't know when to stop huh? The bite from her would of hurt, she wondered how many he would take before running or yielding. Artemis watched the boy fly around, wondering what would the boy would do next. It seemed it would be another dive bomb was this boys plan. However due to how he failed last time Artemis wondered if he would shift again. Artemis got ready to dodge, formulating her next move. As soon as the boy got close enough she shifted into a hawk and flew out of the way, making her way around him and attempted to locked him in her claws.

This time the shift would be seamless, with barely a hitch within the transition as the hawk touched the ground, and then shifted into something larger, a tiger it would seem. Roaring loudly, the feline would glare at the hawk, making an attempt with large power claws that could rend through flesh with little difficulty, and perhaps even more than that. He was stuck in a  fight that he was unsure if he would win, but it was usually fight until he could no longer do so, or until one of them were dead; he had no intentions of dying.