I had always scared easily and sothis scenario without a doubt had me terrified. Every little noise, everylittle break of a twig and I was nearly jumping out of my skin. I couldn’tremember why I had thought this was such a good idea. An owl hooted nearby andI let out a tiny scream.

“Calm down Eden, I was only kiddingwhen I told you there were bears out here,” Kiran sounded slightly exasperatedand I couldn’t blame him. I was pathetic.

“I know…. I’m fine,” I tried tosound confident, but my voice wavered.

“There’s nothing to worry about,”Kiran walked from the other side of Talbott and Lilly to be next to me, and puthis hand on my arm, steadying me. “I won’t let anything happen to you,” heleaned in to whisper, but I could hear the sarcasm in his voice.

“Thank you, but I am just fine,” Iripped my arm out of his hand a little too dramatically.

“All right, suit yourself,” hedidn’t attempt to touch me again, but he didn’t leave my side either.

We wandered silently through thedense wilderness. The night was very still, even the animals and insects hadseemed to quiet down. The sky was overcast, but every once in a while the moonwould break through the clouds and shine down an eerie glow around us.

I began to relax after my eyes hadadjusted and I could see where I was going a little better. Lilly and Talbotthad managed to walk ahead of us; I could hear them talking quietly. I smiled athow relaxed Lilly was around Talbott; they seemed to be really good for eachother. I thought Lilly might even have made Talbott relax a little as well.

“I think he would leave me forher,” Kiran said softly.

“I didn’t realize you two were acouple,” I smirked, satisfied with my insult.

“Oh, you think that’s funny doyou?” Kiran laughed out loud and then reached over to tickle me. I stumbled inthe dark, trying to get away from him but tripped. Electricity began tosteadily hum underneath my skin as I took Kiran down with me, falling to theground.

He sat up and shoved my shouldergently with the palm of his hand. I could tell he was getting ready to saysomething but suddenly I felt a surge of electricity that I could barelycontrol. I slammed my hand over his mouth, every one of my muscles on edge.

We had been walking for a while,maybe thirty minutes and we were pretty far from camp. We had come to a deadend of sorts as our path was blocked by a tall cliff and wall of boulders. Wewould have had to change directions to continue on our walk.

The energy abruptly surging throughmy blood warned me that we were not alone. I hesitated, wondering if maybeSeraphina or one of her minions followed us, but I usually could recognize thelevel of electricity brought on by another Kingsley student. The pulsing energyI felt now alarmed me of a greater danger.

“Lilly, Talbott get down!” I halfwhispered, half shouted. They obeyed instantaneously, and I was surprised theydidn’t ask any immediate questions.

“What is going on?” Kiran wiggledout from underneath my firm grasp, talking at full volume.

“Shh,” I whispered with force. “Iheard something, or felt something…. something is definitely not right,” I was as confused as I sounded. Thehairs stood straight up on my arms and the back of my neck. I didn’t know how,but I knew something was terribly wrong.

“You’re right,” Kiran’s voice hadsoftened to a whisper now and he crawled into a crouching position. “Talbott doyou feel that?”

“Yes I do. I think we should getyou back to camp,” Talbott was suddenly next to us, along with Lilly. His armrested protectively on Kiran and he had positioned his body in front of him. Iwas surprised to see that Lilly had also taken a defensive crouch blockingKiran’s rear.

Electricity began rushing throughmy veins, sending my senses reeling. At first the sensation made me nauseous,but I adjusted quickly. The very first awareness I noticed was how vivid myeyesight became. Everything around me sharpened into the clearest image, asthough I was in the middle of daylight, only more intense. I could seeeverything now, every animal hidden up high in the trees, every insectcrawling, and every speck of dust on the ground.

The electricity pounding through myveins was intense, but it was also focused. Every one of my senses washeightened in an unnatural way: my sense of smell, my sense of sight, hearing,touch and even taste. I felt another sense as well; although it was unfamiliarand unidentifiable to me, I knew it existed and I was suddenly aware of how touse it.

My sixth sense, as it were, washypersensitive to the physical nature of the world outside of myself. I couldfeel everything move around me. I could feel the leaves move in the trees fromthe light breeze, and the rocks crunch under oncoming feet. I felt the moon inthe sky and the stars that were millions of light years away. I felt the centerof the earth pulsating with the rhythm of the universe.

And then I realized that we werenot alone. The change in my nature was a result of other people surrounding us.I could “feel” distinct entities making their way towards us, trying to bediscreet. Each individual carried their own dissimilar electrical field,warning me of their approach.

“Someone’s coming!” I whisperedfiercely, but by the tense and crouched postures of my friends, I knew theyalready realized this. I could feel the negative aura of the oncoming force.Whoever they were, they meant us harm.

Before we could react, we weresurrounded. Five hooded figures stood surrounding us, faces all masked. If itwere not for my heightened sense I would have assumed this was anotherpractical joke, but the focused energy surging through my veins told me thatthis was a very dangerous threat. The heat in my blood readied me for battle,and I barely recognized myself.

I looked at Kiran; he stood to hisfeet, arms wide, and ready to fight. Adrenaline pumped through my bloodstream,allowing me to feel no fear, but did nothing for my confusion. I glanced atTalbott and Lilly and to my surprise they had both taken the same stance asKiran. I had no idea who these people were, but realized a fight was imminent.

Lilly stood with her back facingKiran as if to protect him from a rear attack. She looked miniscule alongsideTalbott and Kiran. Even our attackers were large and tall figures. Although Icouldn’t be for sure that they were all men by the way they were dressed, butif I had to have guessed I would have assumed they were.

I positioned myself in theprotective circle with the rest of my friends, unsure of what I was capable of.I would do anything to protect these people, but if push came to shove, Irealized I was going to be the one that needed protecting. I mimicked theirstances, hoping someone would shout out instructions.

The fight would happen at anymoment, of that I was sure. The only thing we were waiting on was for someoneto make the first move. I considered rushing one of the men in black, butdecided it was probably too risky and definitely too stupid.

We stared at each other for whatseemed like an hour. I had never witnessed a fight except on TV, and although Iexpected for them to pull out guns or some other type of weapon, nothingappeared. They clearly pursued us, but I was unclear of how they would begintheir attack. Instead of a weapons fight however, something so unexplainablehappened that I could only stand there staring at all of those around me, mouthopened wide.

The cloaked figures had surroundedus on every side. We had our backs towards each other, in a protective circlearound Kiran. The tension was thick and my muscles twitched in anticipation.

Finally the first move was made; itwas like nothing I had ever seen happen in my life. One of the masked menjumped forward into the air, seemingly trying to hurdle over Talbott to reachKiran. Although the jump at first appeared impossible, as soon as his body waslifted off of the ground he inexplicably transformed into a mountain lion.  My mouth dropped open and I shook my headfrantically, unwilling to believe that what I thought I saw actually happened.