"Interesting development," said a deep voice from the sky above Allegra's head.
Allegra, her father, and all the chiefs present looked up to the sky as a large black dragon, with white spiraling horns and a tree growing from each of her hands, began to descend, transforming into a woman as she came down.
Her horns retracted, turning from their beautiful white into an ivory color.
Her black scales became the luscious white skin they all recognised at a glance by her beautiful figure.
And the trees growing from the side of her hands died out, wood falling from the sky as she descended, leaving only a few branches dangling from her hands.
"Forest Mother," they all bowed down in unison.
As her feet touched the ground, they all rose to meet her fiery red eyes as she studied all their faces.
"Get rid of all these humans, they are an eyesore," the Forest Mother commanded as she summoned clothes on her body with the snap of a finger.
And it did not take long for the chiefs to snap the necks of all humans present, man, woman, or child.
It did not matter to them what or how old they were. As long as it was a human, it was a target of her rage and her command.
"Now tell me, Allegra, how are you a Chiefess, yet your father is still alive?" she asked, turning towards the pair of father and daughter.
"It seems there was another way," Allegra began, "My father relinquished the title and bestowed it upon me."
"Georn?" the Forest Mother asked, her fiery red eyes meeting the cold white of Georn's.
"It's the truth, High-Chief," he nodded, lowering his head, "The only title I have left is being your right-hand."
"Brave of you to assume I would allow such a thing to happen," the Forest Mother replied, "But Allegra moved with bravery and the good interest of our kind in her heart, and for that, I will overlook this matter. Allegra will be formally recognized as Chiefess, and you, Georn, as an Elder."
"As the Forest Mother commands," Georn bowed.
"However," she continued, slowly walking towards the two, "The Pagnum Sacra is sacred, as punishment for denying it after being invoked, Georn, and all the chiefs present will listen to Allegra's request and check to see if her words hold truth. All thirteen of you will attack Kanat, and if Allegra's words prove true, we will retreat for a while and regroup back home. But if the city does not hold the traps Allegra has been telling us about for a week now, information she learned from a human, nonetheless, she will be killed for treason against her own people."
"As the Forest Mother commands," everyone, including Allegra, bowed in confirmation to the orders given.
"I haven't been involved until now, and I will not get involved from this point on either," the Forest Mother said, "Nevertheless, I will be watching all your actions and see if all of you truly work towards the destiny that is befitting of my children."
Without saying another word, she raised towards the sky as her body darkened, her spiraling horns lengthened, and the branches in her hands grew to be trees once more, revealing her dragon form as she flew above the clouds.
But none were there to see, as until her presence was gone, they stared towards the ground, bowing as low as they could, between the bodies of all the humans they had killed earlier.
"Lead the way, Allegra, Chiefess of the Spirit Bear Clan," Leilani said as the other Chiefs started to slowly turn into their beast forms.
Although still not yet used to it, Allegra nodded, allowing the fur on her and her father's back to begin to grow and swallow them whole, revealing their bear form moments later.
With one last look at the beasts behind her, she let out a mighty roar, giving her command.
A thunderous chorus of howls, roars, cries, and screeches followed. An uproar that could be heard for miles as the chiefs of all Metamorph clans dashed forward, kicking up clouds of dust as they ran or flew at great speed, following the path Allegra was taking.
The speed at which they moved was beyond incredible.
To all unfortunate enough to witness their approach, it was as if the end of days was approaching, a horde of beasts, large enough in many cases to topple houses.
They trampled carriages, slaughtered horses, and humans alike.
Anything that dared cross their path.
And they all did that as they ran, not stopping for even a moment to rest or drink water.
Their orders were clear, and nowhere in the command given was it mentioned that they could take it slow, so, in fear of the Forest Mother, who was watching from somewhere behind the clouds, they chose not to test her patience.
For they all knew she had none.
Even the Spirit Bears, who lacked many of the emotions normal Metamorphs had, knew fear when the Forest Mother's name was mentioned.
All but Allegra, who lacked that fear even after all the events that brought them all running towards Kanat, towards their young who were failing their attack.
By the time they got there in the early afternoon, however, the camp was empty, with only one Metamorph standing on a log, sleeping near the hearth.
It was a young woman with white hair.
Or whatever young meant for them, as she was of the Spirit Bear Clan, Allegra's younger cousin, and the weirdest, most lively Spirit Bear to have ever been born.
Allegra roared loudly, sending the poor woman flying on her back as she jumped awake.
"Go-good morning, Chiefs and Allegra," the woman stuttered as she bowed towards the beast forms of all, "I wasn't really sleeping, just resting my eyes lightly, I swear, haha, you all just move so silently."
As all turned into their human forms, Georn began to speak.
"Nataly, I think everything within a mile radius of where we passed could have heard us; that is how hard we trembled on the ground to make known our passing," he said, "Hardly silently."
"Welcome unc- Chief, to our campsite," Nataly replied, trying to change the subject.
"I am the chief no longer, Allegra is," Georn replied, just as the fur on Allegra's body returned to her back.
"We cannot ignore the fact that you said 'our', Nataly of the Spirit Bears," Aleto added as he got on his feet, "Yet you are the only one in here. Where is everyone? What happened?"
"They went into the Silver Gardens," Nataly replied, pointing towards the towering structure in the distance.