Serah and Elizabeth stomped back to shore, grinning from ear to ear. Behind them, looking nervous, another blonde girl trailed. Henry wrapped his arms around Serah in a hug, but glared at the other girl, who averted her gaze instantly.

Elizabeth was bouncing up and down, like a child on a sugar-rush and she danced around us, randomly hugging whoever. Then, to everyone’s surprise, she planted a gentle kiss on William’s cheek. William blushed, but a warm smile lit his features as she danced away from him again.

I inspected the other girl with a dark scowl, I didn’t trust her. Golden, blond hair fell down her shoulders, shorter than Serah’s and darker than Serah’s. Her royal blue eyes were troubled as she watched us greet our friends. I was brought out of my thoughts with Serah throwing her arms around my neck, “Be nice.” She whispered into my ear.

“So she is your sister?” I murmured, my eyes locking with the girl’s.

Serah nodded, “Sam.” She said matter-of-factly.

She pulled away and turned back to Henry, who was firing off random questions.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Lydia approach Sam. Sam was slightly taller than Serah, and she had the same angry vibe, but this didn’t seem to bother Lydia.

She sniffed as she stood in front of Sam, “Two nights ago you could have killed us in our camp, but you didn’t, even though you were under the sorceress’ control. Why not? We’ve never met you before, so there was honestly no reason for you to spare us.”

Sam stared back at her, “Maybe I just didn’t want to have to carry ten human bodies back to our cave. And I don’t feel like being a cannibal.”

“That was my horse.” Henry said grumpily.

“Speaking of which, we left the horses back at the cave.” Amber muttered.

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“I’m not losing more horses.” Henry growled.

Turning back to the brush, we prepared to go find our horses again. As we walked, Elizabeth recounted to us what it was like to be a wolf. Serah walked beside me, her eyes bright and happy in the mid-day sun.

I almost smiled at her own carefree smile. It was nearly the opposite of her attitude less than a week ago when she and Amber had argued.

Beside her, Sam’s head was hanging. She didn’t look as happy as her sister, instead she looked almost guilty.

“That happens when you leave your sister to fend for herself for most of her teenage years.” Elizabeth’s voice whispered into my ear.

“Can you read minds?” I hissed in return, turning and scowling at her.

She smirked, “Pretty much, yeah. Also, you were staring.”

“I was not!”

“Um…yes, you were.”

“Did you know that was her sister…when you guys were wolves?”

Elizabeth shook her head, “We didn’t know who she was until the sorceress lost control over us. Before that, she never spoke. She just…” Elizabeth shrugged, “…bossed everyone around. But it’s different when you’re under the sorceress’ control. It’s like…it’s like you can’t…feel anything.”

William, who had been walking on the other side of Elizabeth, now listened in, “What do you mean? Like, you can’t feel pain?”

But Elizabeth shook her head, “No, you can feel pain. But you can’t feel any…emotions?…I guess. It’s like, when I saw you guys. I knew who you were, but I didn’t feel like I knew you really, I knew why you had come, but I didn’t really care. But then, when Sam started to scare you away, I felt almost protective, so I jumped at her, but I still didn’t know why I was doing it…You know?” She glanced at us.

I shrugged mindlessly.

I turned back to Serah when her foot slipped over a branch. She grabbed my arm as she began to fall.

“S-sorry.” She said quickly, letting a small giggle escape her lips, “Haven’t really gotten used to walking on two legs, yet.”

“How was it walking on four legs?” I asked.

“Actually, easier. It’s harder to lose your balance and fall over because of the fact that you have two extra legs.”

When I glanced up at her, Sam was frowning. Her eyes flashed when mine met her and she scowled. I blinked innocently and returned to Serah.

“Your sister’s not super friendly, is she?” I murmured into her ear, “The cold heart seems to run in the family, I suppose.”

Serah glared at me, “I said, be nice!”

“I am being nice!” I protested, “She’s just glaring at me, and I don’t understand why. I think she doesn’t like me.”

“She doesn’t know you.”

I sighed, unconvinced by Serah’s words.

I glanced away from Sam, but I still felt her cold glare on my back as I continued walking.