Raven stands before his hospital room door tensely, pushing the hilt downward the door clicks open, he steps in tensely, looking the rooms appearance he grimaces at the potential cost, white walls contrasted by the deep blue curtains blocking of the second section running center through the room, pictures of Vista's, sundowns and night sky's coupled with the high set windows letting in the noon sun offsetting the rooms shade, (she turned of the lights?.. She's most likely asleep then...), Pulled from his thoughts he listens in on the whispering yell of his mother on the phone

"What the hell! Did you do!… You swore you'd keep him out of this,....No!… I swear to god if a hair on his head is unwell by tomorrow i will have your head!....."

I've had my say Cebasa, keep me and my child out of your murim nonsense, or i will kill you, you and i both know i am more than capable!"

Raven's breath seizes as the room goes dead-silent,

{IDIOT!…seems you still understand nothing the only thing that kept her from noticing you was her agitation! Step out now!}

The curtains shift as his mothers scowl quickly morphs into a pleased smile momentarily before shifting into confusion

"raven?, What are you doing here?" she inquires brows furrowed in confusion.

Straining to avoid swallowing hard, he exhales lightly. Steeling himself to meet her eyes, giving a rye smile he proceeds to feed her his bullshit

"We have our GPS linked to each other's phone, he hadn't moved in a few hours so i got worried" raven concludes breaking contact as he rubs the nape of his neck tensely,

"I'm so happy my son has such a caring friend, he's always found it hard to find good ones" she replies smiling sadly towards raven sleeping form,

"Ma'am if i'm permitted to. Could you tell me what happened?"

"You are dear, he'll tell you eventually when he wakes, Excuse me but could you watch him for a bit?"

"Of course ma'am I'd love too"

Kissing raven goodbye murmuring about how she'd kick his ass after he'd gotten better, she walks out the room, ravens shoulder slum while the not in his belly loosens, he walks toward his body, looking closely at the machine's hooked to his body, raven couldn't help but feel disgusted by the sight… (hopefully mom hasn't blown her savings on this room)… staring at his own face with a sigh he searches through the cupboards and drawers while calling to Silver through their bond

(Silver)

{The bottom left}, rummaging through the drawer he finds his clothes folded in a neat stack, running through them he pulls out a Silver box keychain,

(What do you think?)

{Your mother's a shifter and it would seem she's a fairly powerful one at that}

(she....), Pausing momentarily he proceeds to speak (how?...)... {Anyone can be a shifter Raven 'anyone' remember that, and given the little Stealth practice you had at the door she's at least as strong as this body}

(as strong?...not weaker?..how?)...{I'd wager you should be careful child, either come clean or keep this body away from her}

(what why?)

{She'd sensed you before you set foot in this hospital child, that little call of her's could be a ploy to gauge your reaction to her words}

(murim....)

{Exactly, she's unaware that both bodies are the same person so she's not wrong in being suspicious of this one}

(if she sensed me why didn't you mentione anything?) Raven inquires

{You forget i wasn't present in my physical, but the moment you opened the door i knew, but i was more focused on staying concealed}

(you should've at least said something)

{what do you think she would do if she sensed me?...mother or not she'd never let me exist, too much knowledge, it would inadvertently make her 'son' a target and more importantly it'd be insanely beneficial}

(my mother isn't like that!)

{She might be your mother, but she is also a martial adept, and in our world, strength is law, 'The strong take, and the weak give way'}

Love what you're reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

(If that's the way of the martial arts then i just have to become strong enough to change it)

{That's quite Idealistic, this is more than just martial adepts it's simply the way of life, nature, humans}

Unable to refute Raven remains unresponsive before walking towards his still and unconscious body and placing Sliver on his forehead,

"Feel anything?" Raven asks tensely

{Project your thoughts, she could be listening, unbelievable...this.....this is absolutely unprecedented!}(What? What is?!),

{The link between the two bodies must be stronger than i thought, your body's perfectly fine in fact....if i'm not mistaken... it's advanced!}

(really?! What stage?!) Raven thinks excitedly

{BREATH CONTROL, you've skipped two entire sub stages!}

Grinning widely Raven stares at his lying body expectantly

{It'll wake eventually, i suggest you get that body somewhere safe before this one pulls on your consciousness}

(I'd have to find an excuse to tell mom), Raven replies

{Your priorities baffle me, I'd estimate about a minute},

(One minute!!?, Where am i meant to go?)

{that's your problem}...

raven mules over several solutions in quick succession,

(bathroom stalls?..)

{what part of master martial mother do you misunderstand?}, After pacing for a while longer he calms himself before the distant click of a room door pulls him from his thoughts, (Silver time!)

{Forty seconds, sometimes i do question if you switch your brain off to conserve energy, does it have a light bill?}

ignoring Silver Raven walks briskly out the room door, cautiously making way out towards the reception before shooting the receptionist a smile and leaving a message for his mother before making haste out of the hospital, he sprints out and around the corner, Sprinting into a shopping complex Raven searches for a public bathroom before spotting the gents sign pointing down a tunnel, he jogs through taking a seat inside an empty bathroom stall and giving reign to the pull on his consciousness.

Groaning Raven's hands grip his head, his fingers digging into his skull, trying desperately to massage away the shearing pain, he squints trying to make out the silhouette before him, after a few seconds of constant disorientation, he calls out towards the female silhouette

"Mom?" Raven croaks.."water" Smiling his mother walks towards the side before pouring him a glass and raises it to his mouth cradling his neck as he gulps the water down greedily, his still hazy eyes look to see to the silhouette walk out the door, a few minutes pass and his senses slowly settle,

"Baby?" Hearing his mom's voice Raven turns towards the door...

"Mom....he trails off ..did you change?" He inquires with furrowed eyebrows, squinting harder.

Her expression instantly sharpens, her nose twitches lightly and her smile morphs into a deep etched frown

"who was here?" His mother demands her tone going deathly low...

"i don't know, i called to you for water then....well...a woman poured me a cup then walked out"

Watching her son explain to her she runs a quick scan of the hospital grounds noticing nothing strange she calms herself, (that shifter friend of his .... he's gone, I'm going to have to investigate him)

"It was just a nurse darling".... squinting harder he stares at her

"Okay, I'm tired mom" smiling she stares down at her precious boy

"Sleep darling I'll be right here when your up" she replies watching him sink back under the covers as his consciousness fades, the smile slips off her face as he walks briskly towards the reception

"Excuse me, has a woman come in withing the last quarter of an hour" she inquires of the confused receptionist who looks up at her "no ma'am"

(Why am i even wasting time here, if she really was here they'd never be able to tell) closing her eyes she scans for rapid changes in air currents, noticing the abnormally cold patches in the otherwise still air currents of the reception, her expression goes livid immediately scaring the receptionist who rocks back,

(COLD SHIFTERS!)

Waking from his slumber he cleans the drool from his chin as he walks out the gent's stall,

(what next?... Darren! I need to get that bill back!), looking to the time on his watch he hurries out the toilet and the complex before stoping a cab and directing the driver frantically towards the destination, stopping the cab man at the edge of the street, he hops out after paying

(James should be in Belgrade by now), jogging down the street he finds Darren's bare faced minion and the girl, walking into their path he brings them to a halt,

"Bro your in the way"

"Where's Darren Joo" Raven states ignoring the earlier statement

"Why do you want to know?" The boy replies squaring up to Raven, who lifts an eyebrow in question, "where is Darren Joo" he repeats leaning in slightly as his eyes bore into the shorter boy's eyes. Clearing his throat before stepping back he admits to being unaware, Raven frowns unaware of its effect on the nervous boy,

(Hye's watching!…C'mon get yourself together!) Looking up he finds that Raven as long since walked past turning to call out he finds Hye looking at him with an apathetic stare...

Raven jog towards the school grounds quickly turns to a sprint as he spots James in a choke hold in between Darren's arm,

"James!" He shouts lunging at Darren who throws James aside to meet ravens fist with one of his own, Darren's eye's widen in surprise as his fist gets blown to the side, (my hand!) Darren grunts cradling his hand

{You'll kill someone if you don't learn how to use this body} Silver states into Raven's mind breaking it's silence, crouching beside a gasping James he inquires worriedly about his status, turning to Darren who watches cautiously the realization and fear of what just happened grips him freezing him in place,

"Who sent you?" Darren inquires, (i can't fight anymore, I'm already out of steam,...and his strength, he's too lean to be that strong.. He's definitely a Shifter of a much higher advancement than i am)

"Just leave, i've had enough of you lot for one day" he states before walking away.

Raven watches him walk off as he lets out the breath he didn't know he'd held, turning to James he's panicked to find him unconscious,

(It's for the best... he's probably spent it by now... I'll make it up to mum)

Picking James up in a piggy back hold he feels James stir after a quarter of an hour of walking,

"James... Don't worry we're almost in town. Just a few minutes more", Raven looks down towards James's out stretched hand shocked at the sight of a slightly bloodied five thousand credit bill in hand, shutting his eyes tight while holding back the shame burning through his person, he musters the words

"James.....Thank you." He croaks as the two walk back into town one clutching a bloodied credit bill the other reminiscing on his defeat.